Tienditas Warehouse
Cucuta, Colombia

ADMINISTRATOR GREEN: Thank you, I will speak just briefly.

Several weeks ago, the United States officially recognized Juan Guaidó as the Interim President of Venezuela.  At that time, he made specific requests of President Donald Trump for assistance. The following day, at USAID, we met with his representatives, and they made specific requests for assistance that they needed.  Working closely with the Government of Colombia, that is what has brought us to this day.

It is not merely a U.S. effort. It is a regional effort.  The U.S., Colombia, and more and more countries are coming together to provide real hope to the long-suffering people of Venezuela.

But I would also remind us all that while this humanitarian assistance is very important, and we are committed to helping with humanitarian assistance, humanitarian assistance is merely a treatment.  The long-term problem is Maduro and his regime, that are crushing the people of Venezuela, their economy, and their hope.

And that must be the real change that we all see.  So that humanitarian assistance first, can get in, and second, become unnecessary, because Venezuela grows and becomes the economy, the country, that it deserves to be.

Gracias.