Venezuela’s Maduro welcomes medical supplies from Russia

Caracas: Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Thursday announced the arrival of 7.5 tons of medical supplies from Russia amid mounting pressure on him from the opposition to accept humanitarian aid from the United States and its allies.
“I must deeply thank the OPS (Pan American Health Organization) … and President Vladimir Putin of Russia for this capability, this steadfastness in the moment of bringing these medications,” Maduro said during a meeting with hospital directors.
“The medicines we need, they are arriving in Venezuela every week on a permanent basis,” the leftist president said, reports Efe.
Maduro spoke hours after self-proclaimed acting president Juan Guaido, travelled to the Venezuela-Colombia border to coordinate the entry of aid shipments from the neighbouring country.
Guaido, the speaker of the opposition-controlled National Assembly, declared himself acting head of state on January 23 and subsequently requested assistance from the US and nearly 50 other countries that have recognized him as Venezuela’s legitimate leader.
Oil-rich Venezuela is contending with shortages of basic goods as well as hyperinflation.