Ties with Colombia off, envoys must leave within 24 hrs: Maduro

CARACAS, February 23 

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said on Saturday that his government had broken relations with Colombia and would expel some Colombian diplomatic staff after Colombia assisted the opposition's efforts to bring humanitarian aid into the country.

"Patience is exhausted, I can't bear it anymore, we can't keep putting up with Colombian territory being used for attacks against Venezuela. For that reason, I have decided to break all political and diplomatic relations with Colombia's fascist government," Maduro said in a speech.

He said the ambassador and consular staff would have to leave Venezuela within 24 hours.

Meanwhile, a truck in a convoy attempting to bring humanitarian aid into Venezuela from Colombia went up in flames, sending plumes of dark smoke into the air, footage from a Venezuelan television channel showed.

Crowds started removing boxes of supplies from a second truck, the footage showed, the same day Venezuelan troops loyal to President Maduro fired tear gas and rubber pellets at opposition supporters seeking to deliver food and medicine.

The clashes occurred as Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido, who most Western nations recognize as Venezuela's legitimate leader, gave a personal send off to an aid caravan from the Colombian city of Cucuta.

Guaido briefly boarded one of a dozen trucks carrying US-backed humanitarian aid before they set off towards the border, where they were pushed back by Venezuelan security forces. — Reuters