"Green reaffirmed the United States' commitment to continue supporting the Venezuelan National Assembly, as well as other key democratic actors like local civil society organisations that are involved in human rights documentation and the independent media. Administrator Green also underscored the US government's condemnation of Nicolas Maduro, and reaffirmed USAID's commitment to promoting citizen-responsive governance in Venezuela, in pursuit of a Hemisphere of Freedom", the USAID said in a Wednesday statement.
During the talks, Guaido told Green about "the dire humanitarian situation" in Venezuela, while the latter reiterated that the United States was "ready to provide emergency aid throughout Venezuela to help meet this increasing humanitarian need", according to USAID.
"The Administrator and interim President Guaidó closed their conversation with a mutual commitment to work together to help restore dignity, human rights, and democracy in Venezuela", it added.
The agency noted that it would continue to be in contact with Guaido's team to work out concrete plans in the coming days.
The country has been suffering from a political and economic crisis triggered by the fall of global oil prices, with the opposition actively using deteriorating humanitarian issues in its rhetoric. On 23 January, the crisis took a new turn when the speaker of the opposition-led Venezuelan National Assembly, Guaido, declared himself interim president amid ongoing anti-government protests. The next day, the United States, which swiftly recognised Guaido, said that it was ready to provide the country with more than $20 million in humanitarian assistance.
