Pence to deliver speech on Venezuela in Colombia on Monday

WASHINGTON – Vice-President Mike Pence is travelling to Colombia next week to demonstrate continued U.S. support for the opposition to Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

Pence’s office says he’ll deliver a speech Monday in Bogota on the humanitarian and security crisis in neighbouring Venezuela, and U.S. efforts to help get aid to the country. Pence will meet with Colombian President Ivan Duque as well as Venezuelan families who have sought refuge outside the country.

President Donald Trump and Duque discussed the situation in Venezuela during a White House meeting last week.

The United States and dozens of other countries recognize opposition leader Juan Guaido (gwy-DOH’) as Venezuela’s interim president. Maduro told the AP in an interview last week that he will not give up power as a way to defuse the standoff.