UNITED NATIONS– The United States said yesterday it will provide $52 million in funding to Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido, an escalation of support even as his push to oust socialist President Nicolas Maduro stalls.

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) said in a statement that the funding would go toward independent media, civil society, the health sector and the opposition-controlled National Assembly, which is led by Guaido.

Guaido in January invoked the constitution to assume a rival presidency, arguing Maduro’s 2018 re-election was illegitimate. Guaido has been recognized as Venezuela’s rightful leader by more than 50 countries, including the United States. But Maduro remains in power with the backing of the armed forces and countries like Cuba, Russia and China.

Maduro, a socialist who has overseen an economic collapse and is accused of corruption and rights abuses, calls Guaido a coup-mongering U.S. puppet, an accusation likely to be bolstered by USAID’s announcement.In a statement posted on Twitter, Guaido’s office thanked USAID for the aid but said it would not administer any of the funds itself, given that it has not yet appointed a comptroller.(Reuters)…[+]

One man is dead following a confrontation with an off-duty police officer in La Horquetta on Monday afternoon. The deceased has been identified as Teesfa Wright. According to reports, shortly after 1 p.m., the officer was at a house in Phase 4, La Horquetta, when he was confronted by Wright, who was holding a firearm. The officer was told to hand over his cash and valuables. However, the officer instead reached for his licensed firearm which he was carrying on his person.

Before Wright could react, the officer drew his weapon and shot the assailant several times to his lower body. Wright dropped the weapon and fell to the floor. The officer called for paramedics and the injured man was taken to Arima District Hospital, where he died shortly after arrival.

A firearm and a mask were recovered by crime scene investigators. They are expected to be sent for ballistic testing.  Wright, police said, was well known to officers, having been linked to several robbery offences in the past. An autopsy is expected to take place tomorrow at the Forensic Science Centre in St James.(Trinidad Express)…[+]

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has set a date for Oral Hearings on jurisdiction in the case of the long-running border controversy between this country and Venezuela. According to a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs the ICJ has notified Guyana that hearings will be held in The Hague, the Netherlands from March 23 to 27, 2020.

It will determine whether the Court has jurisdiction over the case filed by Guyana on March 29, 2018 to obtain from the Court a final and binding judgment that the 1899 Arbitral Award, which established the location of the land boundary between then-British Guiana and Venezuela, remains valid and binding, and that Guyana’s Essequibo region belongs to Guyana, and not Venezuela.

Guyana brought its case to the Court following the decision by the Secretary-General of the United Nations, in January 2018, that the controversy between Guyana and Venezuela should be decided by the World Court.  In taking his decision, the Secretary-General was exercising the power vested in him in the 1966 Geneva Agreement between Guyana, Venezuela and the United Kingdom to decide how the controversy should be settled.(Stabroek News)…[+]