South America

CARACAS, February 18. /TASS/. Venezuela's direct losses sustained as a result of US sanctions over the last three years stand at around $38 billion, Venezuela's Vice President for Planning Ricardo Menendez told Agencia Venezolana de Noticias on Monday.

CARACAS, February 19. /TASS/. Russia will send 300 tonnes of medicines to Venezuela, the Latin American country's President Nicolas Maduro said on Monday.

"On Wednesday 300 tonnes of legitimate humanitarian aid will arrive from Russia," Maduro said.

Russia will deliver medicines to Venezuela, he added. "We paid for them," he noted.

Last week over 60 containers with 933 tonnes of medicines were delivered to Venezuela from abroad. Most cargo arrived from China and Cuba.

CARACAS, February 19. /TASS/. Venezuela should start producing its own weapons systems to defend the country, President Nicolas Maduro said on Monday.

"We need our own weapons systems for the existing concept of national security," Maduro said. He added that Venezuela possesses "a good weapons system for defense," including missile defense systems.

Medardo Mairena was sentenced to 216 years in prison for “terrorism” and six other offences related to his participation in the protests that caused the death of four police officers and a civilian, said lawyer Julio Montenegro from the non-governmental Permanent Commission for Human Rights. Pedro Mena was given 210 years for terrorism and other offences.

Montenegro described the sentences as “unprecedented” and “overly exaggerated.”

The two opposition leaders will serve only 30 years in prison, though, as that is the maximum allowed in Nicaraguan law.

CARACAS, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- The Venezuelan government on Monday said it will send humanitarian aid to Cucuta, a Colombian town bordering Venezuela, to help improve the difficult situation facing children in the area.

The move seems to be a satiric response to Colombia's decision to allow a U.S. military transport plane carrying aid meant for Venezuelans to land in Cucuta.

The border crossing has turned into a potential flashpoint as the Venezuelan opposition, with the support of Washington, steps up pressure on President Nicolas Maduro's government to renounce power.

MOSCOW, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- Russia will deliver 300 tons of humanitarian aid to Venezuela, local media reported Monday, quoting Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

"We receive humanitarian support every day," Maduro was quoted as saying by Sputnik news agency at a meeting with scientists in Venezuela. Russia's aid will be delivered to the international airport of Caracas, the president added.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Thursday that Russia is ready to join mediation efforts to help end the Venezuelan crisis.

CUCUTA, Colombia (AP) — U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio visited a border staging point for U.S. aid to Venezuela on Sunday and warned soldiers loyal to socialist 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.

CARACAS, Feb. 17 (Xinhua) -- Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza met with U.S. Special Representative for Venezuela Elliott Abrams over the weekend to address the two countries' relationship.

"We have held two meetings of which I cannot give details because I have to respect the confidentiality of them, but there have been meetings where we have listened to each other," Arreaza said in statements broadcast on Venezuelan state television.

Caracas, Feb 16; AFP?GANASHAKTI: Venezuela President Nicolas Maduro hit out at the United States on Friday for "stealing" billions of dollars and offering "crumbs" in return as humanitarian aid.

Tons of US aid is piling up in Colombia close to the border with Venezuela as opposition leader Juan Guaido has vowed to defy Maduro's efforts to block the supplies from entering the country.

"It's a booby trap, they're putting on a show with rotten and contaminated food," said Maduro, speaking at an event in the southeastern town of Ciudad Bolivar.

CARACAS, Feb. 15 (Xinhua) -- Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said on Friday that U.S. President Donald Trump is put by his advisors into a dead end regarding the situation in Venezuela.

Trump has been put into an "alley without exit" by his advisors on Venezuela, he said.

Maduro made the remarks when marking the bicentennial of Venezuela's definitive republican constitution amid a political crisis that broke out on Jan. 23 when opposition leader Juan Guaido declared himself interim president and was recognized by the United States and several other countries.