Francis Rooney believes Venezuela is reaching a ‘tipping point’

Florida Republican Rep. Francis Rooney says the U.S. needs to continue backing Brazil and Colombia’s efforts to provide foreign aid to Venezuela. 

But now we see some else: 63 Venezuelan troops DEFECT to opposition, two KILLED in clashes at Colombian border

Things are heating up again in Venezuela as Maduro tries to block people from getting food and other supplies because it might weaken him politically.

It’s being reported that a few troops defected to the opposition:

At least five Venezuelan troops have abandoned their posts at the country’s border with Colombia as confrontations with protesters over incoming humanitarian aid grow more violent by the day.

The soldiers abandoned their watch on Saturday near the Simon Bolivar International Bridge at the Venezuela-Colombian border and reportedly requested assistance from Colombian immigration officials. In nearby Urena, the Venezuelan National Guard fired tear gas and rubber bullets at protesters attempting to cross the border in order to work, BBC reports. Protesters were seen throwing rocks at troops and attacking buses.

There’s this insane video of trucks barreling through the barricades, and I’m not sure if they are connected with the defections or are other violent acts by the Maduro troops:

Guaido, the guy the U.S. recognizes as Venezuela’s president, is trying to get aid to Venezuelans but Maduro is doing everything he can to prevent that:

Rising tensions have erupted amid opposition leader and self-declared President Juan Guaido’s decision to lead a caravan with thousands of volunteers to the Colombian border to collect at least 200 tons of humanitarian aid, primarily food and medicine. On Saturday, Guaido announced that the first shipment of aid had crossed the border from Brazil, calling it a “great achievement.” That statement, however, has been refuted by news that two trucks carrying aid from Brazil are stuck at the Venezuelan border.

Pretty awful. At this point, it is a failed state and a humanitarian crisis and I have absolutely no problem with the U.S. doing what it can to topple Maduro and try to help return the state to some kind of sanity.

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Rubio’s twitter feed is an excellent source of news about the altercation:

#URGENT: Pro-Maduro gang,at the direction of Cuban agents have used firearms against civilian aid workers at the Simón Bolívar bridge.

Military leaders are cowards if they stand by & allow foreign govt & street criminals to kill their own people. #23FAvalanchaHumanitaria

— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) February 23, 2019

#MaduroRegime has fired into territory of #Colombia. Receiving reports of injuries after this attack on sovereign Colombian territory.

The United States WILL help Colombia confront any aggression against them. https://t.co/lcF1uB9NB4

— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) February 23, 2019

#ALERT #MaduroRegime has begun a massive violent crackdown on the border with the Brazil. I have been informed 4 civilians dead & 24 injured as of this moment. #23FAvalanchaHumanitaria

— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) February 23, 2019

Another member of National Guard just crossed border to join @jguaido. So far over 23 former members of regime forces have switched sides today. #23f https://t.co/RyI4ZQJjvC

— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) February 23, 2019

Rubio now says 63 Venezuelan security officials have defected:

At this moment over 60 former Maduro security officials have abandoned his regime at last count. #23FAvalanchaHumanitaria

— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) February 23, 2019