Feb 21, 2019

Maduro orders border with Brazil closed as opposition prepares aid

Orion Rummler

Photo: Raul Arboleda/AFP via Getty Images

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro ordered the country's border with Brazil closed on Thursday in response to opposition attempts to bring in foreign humanitarian aid, adding on state television that he may also shut Venezuela's border with Columbia, the Associated Press reports.

The big picture: Juan Guaidó, the Venezuelan opposition leader and self-declared interim president, plans to force emergency medicine and food across the Colombian border into Venezuela on Saturday in defiance of Maduro. As Axios' Jonathan Swan notes, Saturday will be a flashpoint in Venezuela's crisis, with U.S. officials hoping the confrontation will loosen Maduro's grip over his military — the key to his power.

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Coronavirus dashboard

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  1. Global: Total confirmed cases as of 10 a.m. ET: 1,139,207 — Total deaths: 60,874 — Total recoveries: 233,807 — Map.
  2. U.S.: Total confirmed cases as of 10 a.m. ET: 278,537 — Total deaths: 7,163 — Total recoveries: 9,920 — Map.
  3. Public health latest: The CDC is recommending Americans wear face coverings in public to help stop the spread of the coronavirus. The federal government will cover the costs of COVID-19 treatment for the uninsured, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said.
  4. 2020 latest: "I think a lot of people cheat with mail-in voting," President Trump said of the 2020 election, as more states hold primaries by mail. Montana Gov. Steve Bullock said Friday that every county in the state has opted to expand mail-in voting for the state's June 2 primary.
  5. Business updates: America's small business bailout is off to a bad start. The DOT is urging airlines to refund passengers due to canceled or rescheduled flights, but won't take action against airlines that provide vouchers or credits.
  6. Oil latest: A pivotal Monday meeting among oil-producing countries to discuss supply curbs is reportedly being delayed amid tensions between Saudi Arabia and Russia.
  7. Military updates: Senators call for independent investigation into the firing of Navy captain of the U.S.S. Theodore Roosevelt. The U.S. military is struggling to find new recruits as enlistment stations are shut down.
  8. What should I do? Answers about the virus from Axios experts — What to know about social distancing — Q&A: Minimizing your coronavirus risk.
  9. Other resources: CDC on how to avoid the virus, what to do if you get it.

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