MIAMI, Fla. — President Donald Trump is scheduled to speak in Miami Monday afternoon about the crisis in Venezuela, as well as his recent decision to declare a national emergency to fund a border wall.
- President Trump to speak Monday on Venezuela cisis, national emergency over border wall
- Trump speaking from FIU in Miami
- Sen. Marco Rubio visited the Colombia-Venezuela border this weekend
The Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido is challenging Nicolas Maduro’s claim to the presidency.
The U.S. has used military and civilian aircraft to fly in food and personal care aid in an effort meant to undermine Maduro and dramatize his government's inability to overcome shortages of food and medicine. A Colombia-Venezuela border bridge has been flooded in recent months by people fleeing the hardships of Venezuela's hyperinflation and severe shortages of food and medicine.
The aid is supposed to be moved into Venezuela on Feb. 23 by supporters of Guaido, who is recognized the U.S. and dozens of other countries as Venezuela's legitimate president.
Maduro is using troops to block the aid from entering, saying it is not needed and is part of a U.S.-orchestrated attempt to overthrow him.
Florida Sen. Marco Rubio visited the Colombia-Venezuela border this weekend.
Rubio warned soldiers loyal to socialist Venezuela President Nicolas Maduro that it will be a "crime against humanity" if they block entry of the goods that are being channeled through Maduro’s rivals.
He said Venezuelans "are being denied medicine, food and aid needed to live while those people who are at the head of that regime are living like multimillionaires."
Meanwhile, Venezuelans in the Tampa Bay-area say they have faith in President Trump that he will find a way to get people the help they need.
"Average people?" asked Norma Reno, with the Tampa Hillsborough Human Rights Council. "They’re starving to death over 300 children are waiting for humanitarian aid because they are facing death and if we don’t do something about it, those people are going to die. It’s a genocide being committed in Venezuela."
President Trump is scheduled to make his remarks from Florida International University at 4 p.m.