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		</div><p>The US military has airlifted tons of humanitarian aid to a Colombian town on the Venezuelan border as part of an effort meant to undermine socialist President Nicolas Maduro and back his rival for the leadership of the South American nation.</p>
<p>Two of three scheduled Air Force C-17 cargo planes that took off from Homestead Air Reserve Base in Florida had landed in Cucuta.</p>
<p>The border city, swollen by a flood of migrants from Venezuela, is a collection point for aid that is supposed to be distributed by supporters of Juan Guaido, the congressional leader who is recognized by the US and many other nations as Venezuela’s legitimate president. He has called for the aid.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">WHEELS DOWN: <a href="https://twitter.com/USAID?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@USAID</a> commodities have landed in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Colombia?src=hash&;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Colombia</a>, to help people affected by the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Venezuela?src=hash&;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Venezuela</a> humanitarian crisis. More assistance is on the way. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EstamosUnidosVE?src=hash&;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EstamosUnidosVE</a> <a href="https://t.co/jJpUPdYB7Y">pic.twitter.com/jJpUPdYB7Y</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Mark Green (@USAIDMarkGreen) <a href="https://twitter.com/USAIDMarkGreen/status/1096856252360151041?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 16, 2019</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p><em>“This wasn’t the first, and it won’t be the last,”</em> said USAID Administrator Mark Green, standing on the tarmac in Cucuta at a ceremony to receive the aid. <em>“More is on the way.”</em></p>
<p>Commercial planes had been used for earlier shipments of aid, which is aimed at dramatising the economic crisis — including hyperinflation and shortages of food and medicine — gripping Venezuela.</p>
<p>Critics say last year’s re-election was fraudulent, making Mr Maduro’s second term illegal.</p>
<p><em>“We are saving lives with these airplanes,”</em> said Lestor Toledo, an exiled politician who is coordinating the international aid effort for Mr Guaido.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">LIVE NOW: Relief supplies from <a href="https://twitter.com/USAID?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@USAID</a> just landed in Cucuta, Colombia to help tens of thousands of people affected by the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Venezuela?src=hash&;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Venezuela</a> crisis. WATCH to see what we sent &; how we’re working w/ <a href="https://twitter.com/StateDept?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@StateDept</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/USEmbassyBogota?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@USEmbassyBogota</a> &; <a href="https://twitter.com/Southcom?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Southcom</a> <a href="https://t.co/A5ZuxISmFT">https://t.co/A5ZuxISmFT</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EstamosUnidosVE?src=hash&;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EstamosUnidosVE</a> <a href="https://t.co/wwGayf6zi3">pic.twitter.com/wwGayf6zi3</a></p>
<p>&mdash; USAID/OFDA (@theOFDA) <a href="https://twitter.com/theOFDA/status/1096827277948661760?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 16, 2019</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>Mr Maduro has been using the military, which remains loyal, to help him block the aid from entering Venezuela, describing it as “crumbs” from a US government whose restrictions have stripped his administration of control over many of its most valuable assets.</p>
<p><em>“They hang us, steal our money and then say ‘here, grab these crumbs’ and make a global show out of it,”</em> Mr Maduro told The Associated Press on Thursday.</p>
<p><em>“With dignity we say ‘No to the global show’. Whoever wants to help Venezuela is welcome, but we have enough capacity to pay for everything that we need.”</em></p>
<p>His vice president has alleged, without evidence, that the aid packages are contaminated.</p>
<p>Saturday’s 180-ton shipment includes high-energy food products or hygiene kits of soap, toothpaste and other goods for more than 25,000 people.</p>
<p>Mr Guaido spoke to a crowd of supporters gathered in eastern Caracas on Saturday and vowed to form caravans of activists to reach the border and bring in aid on January 23.</p>
<p>He also called for people to gather in cities across the country to receive the aid — and called for the armed forces to allow it into the country.</p>
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