Rudy Mancuso

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PresidentContent ='JJ Lin'> Nicolás Maduro has closed Venezuela's border with Brazil

At least Two PeopleContent ='JJ Lin'> have been killed and several others injured in clashes near Venezuela's border with Brazil, local media report.

Venezuelan security forces opened fire on a group of civilians who tried to prevent them from blocking The BorderContent ='JJ Lin'> .

PresidentContent ='JJ Lin'> Nicolás Maduro has closed the country's border with Brazil amid a row over the delivery of humanitarian aid.

The IncidentContent ='JJ Lin'> came as thousands attended two rival concerts on either side of a Bridge linking Venezuela and Colombia.

Opposition leader Juan Guaidó, who declared himself interim leader last month, attended the Colombian concert along with several Latin American leaders.

The clashes occurred when members of the community confronted Venezuelan troops on Friday morning in the southern Venezuelan town of Kumarakapay, AFP news agency reports.

Troops then opened fire on individuals who tried to block a road with the aim of preventing military vehicles from passing, witnesses said.

, according to the Human RightsContent ='JJ Lin'> group Kapé Kapé.

An ambulance at The SceneContent ='JJ Lin'> where deadly clashes erupted in southern Venezuela Why are there clashes at The BorderContent ='JJ Lin'> ?

Venezuela is in the grip of a political and economic crisis. The country's inflation rate has seen prices soar, leaving many Venezuelans struggling to afford basic items such as food, toiletries and medicine.

Around 2. 7 million people have fled the country since 2015.

Mr Guaidó says a lack of basic items has left thousands of others At Risk of dying.

Humanitarian aid for Venezuela has been arriving at the borders of neighbouring Colombia and Brazil.

Mr Guaidó and his allies hope to collect the relief gathered there on Saturday, in defiance of PresidentContent ='JJ Lin'> Maduro, who denies any crisis and calls the aid plans a US-orchestrated show.

PresidentContent ='JJ Lin'> Maduro has said he could also shut The BorderContent ='JJ Lin'> with Colombia to stop the opposition bringing in aid.

Why are the concerts taking place?

The concerts, being held just 300m (980ft) apart, represent two opposing sides of a power struggle between PresidentContent ='JJ Lin'> Maduro and Mr Guaidó, who is recognised as the country's interim leader by dozens of countries, including the US and most Latin American nations.

Thousands gathered for the Venezuela Aid Live concert near the Colombian city of Cúcuta

One of the concerts, Venezuela Aid Live, was organised by British entrepreneur Sir Richard BransonContent ='JJ Lin'> , who said Mr Guaidó had asked him to set it up.

It was held near the Tienditas Bridge crossing on the Colombian side of The BorderContent ='JJ Lin'> at Cúcuta. Organisers invited 32 artists including Latin stars Rudy MancusoContent ='JJ Lin'> , Juanes and Despacito singer Luis FonsiContent ='JJ Lin'> , and Swedish DJ Alesso.

A few celebrities - including Venezuelan-American singer and actress Lele PonsContent ='JJ Lin'> and Venezuelan singer Danny Ocean Content ='JJ Lin'> - and politicians took part.

Among them were The PresidentsContent ='JJ Lin'> of Colombia, Chile and Paraguay, along with Mr Guaidó who defied a travel ban by PresidentContent ='JJ Lin'> Maduro.

Chilean PresidentContent ='JJ Lin'> Sebastian PineraContent ='JJ Lin'> , Colombian PresidentContent ='JJ Lin'> Ivan Duque, Venezuela's opposition leader Juan GuaidoContent ='JJ Lin'> and Paraguayan PresidentContent ='JJ Lin'> Mario Abdo Benitez all attended the Venezuela Live AidContent ='JJ Lin'> concert.

"This concert is a humanitarian concert; every country, all people in The WorldContent ='JJ Lin'> want freedom," Mr Branson said.

"Anybody that does anything for The RightContent ='JJ Lin'> reasons is always going to get criticism. The positive thing is that 99% of people around The WorldContent ='JJ Lin'> are embracing what is going on Here TodayContent ='JJ Lin'> . "

YouTube, Bing and Google services were all temporarily blocked in Venezuela during the Live AidContent ='JJ Lin'> concert, according to Netblocks - a non-governmental organization that tracks internet blackouts.

Following news of The EventContent ='JJ Lin'> , PresidentContent ='JJ Lin'> Maduro promised to hold a rival concert on the Venezuelan side of The Bridge Content ='JJ Lin'> - a three-day festival which has been dubbed Hands Off Venezuela.

The government still has not announced an official line-up for Hands Off Venezuela, but unconfirmed reports claim that about 150 artists are taking part.

Richard BransonContent ='JJ Lin'> 's concert is happening on the Colombian side of The BorderContent ='JJ Lin'> While Mr Maduro's is happening not Far AwayContent ='JJ Lin'> on the Venezuelan side What's going on at Venezuela's borders?

Brazil, which recognizes Mr Guaidó as Venezuela's legitimate leader, had previously vowed to make humanitarian aid available in the Brazilian city of Pacaraima, to be collected by opposition supporters.

Please upgrade your browser to view this Content .

There are already planes and lorries carrying tonnes of US aid parked on the Colombian side of the Tienditas Bridge , and PresidentContent ='JJ Lin'> Maduro has refused to allow it into Venezuela, saying it is part of a ploy by the US to invade the country.

Despite denying that there is a humanitarian crisis at all, PresidentContent ='JJ Lin'> Maduro reportedly received a shipment of aid from Russia earlier This WeekContent ='JJ Lin'> , according to Russian state media.

Moscow has accused Washington of using aid as a "convenient pretext for conducting military action. "

According to Ria NovostiContent ='JJ Lin'> , Russia's foreign ministry spokesperson Maria ZakharovaContent ='JJ Lin'> told reporters that "in preparation for the provocation", America was deploying "Special ForcesContent ='JJ Lin'> and equipment near Venezuelan territory. "

So how will the aid Get In ?

It is not yet clear. Mr Guaidó has said he plans to get aid into the country on Saturday by urging Venezuelans to mobilise en masse and form "caravans" and a "humanitarian avalanche" at the borders.

But even with this effort, it is uncertain whether or not aid will be allowed in.

A spokesman for Mr Branson told the BBC that he was working with the Colombian entrepreneur Bruno Ocampo to organise The ConcertContent ='JJ Lin'> and sort out the logistics while Mr Ocampo said The DetailsContent ='JJ Lin'> "remain confidential".

colombia, nicolás maduro, venezuela crisis, venezuela, richard branson, juan guaidó

Source of news: bbc.com