US military airlifted tons of humanitarian aid to a Colombian town on the Venezuelan border Saturday as part of an effort meant to undermine socialist President Nicolas Maduro and back his rival for the leadership of the South American nation.  

Three scheduled Air Force C-17 cargo planes that took off from Homestead Air Reserve Base in Florida had landed in Cucuta. That border city, swollen by a flood of migrants from Venezuela, is a collection point for aid that’s supposed to be distributed by supporters of Juan Guaido, the congressional leader who is recognized by the U.S. and many other nations as Venezuela’s legitimate president. He has called for the aid.  “This wasn’t the first, and it won’t be the last,” said USAID Administrator Mark Green, standing on the tarmac in Cucuta at a ceremony to receive the aid. “More is on the way.”  

Commercial planes had been used for earlier shipments of aid, which is aimed at dramatizing the economic crisis gripping Venezuela.  

Maduro has been using the military, to aid from entering Venezuela, describing it as “crumbs” from a US government.   

“They hang us, steal our money and then say ‘here, grab these crumbs’ and make a global show out of it,” Maduro told The Associated Press on Thursday. “With dignity we say ‘No to the global show.’ Whoever wants to help Venezuela is welcome, but we have enough capacity to pay for everything that we need.” 

Cucuta, Colombia, (Hindustan Taimes), Feb 17, 2019 -