WILLEMSTAD - The Netherlands will provide aid to Venezuela through Curaçao. The cabinet responds to a request from opposition leader Juan Guaidó and the United States. Venezuela is struggling with major shortages of food and medicines. Curaçao must become the "logistic hub" for humanitarian aid.
Prime Minister Eugene Rhuggenaath says that the island wants to help the Venezuelan population. "But we are aware that there can be consequences for Curaçao." He refers to possible reprisals by Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. To date, it has kept every foreign humanitarian aid at a distance.
"We are thinking, for example, of a border closure, which we have experienced before. If Venezuela makes a decision that can have negative consequences for Curaçao, then we expect support from our allies where this is possible. To reduce the risks for our population," says Rhuggenaath
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Curaçao, which is located about 60 kilometers from Venezuela, is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. This means that it can pursue its own policy on many points, but not on all points. Foreign policy and defense are still covered by the Netherlands.
Minister Stef Blok of Foreign Affairs explains that food and medicines from the US will be brought to Curaçao. "That is where those supplies are prepared for the moment until they can be admitted to Venezuela." Blok hopes that President Maduro will give permission for the aid.
According to the minister, the Venezuelan president now uses the refraining of aid as "an unsavory instrument" to put pressure on their own people. Blok finds it "terrible" that Maduro denies the problems.
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The government is very concerned about the situation in Venezuela. "On an economic, social, humanitarian and political level, the country is slipping further and further", says Blok. The Netherlands also wants elections to be held in Venezuela as soon as possible. "That is why we also recognized Guaidó as interim president."
Venezuela is economically on the ground and millions of Venezuelans have fled abroad. Guaidó called himself interim president last month as a replacement for Maduro.
