CARACAS (Reuters) - A bank in Portugal has blocked Venezuela’s attempt to transfer $1.2 billion to Uruguay, a lawmaker said on Tuesday as the opposition to President Nicolas Maduro warned of the theft of public funds, while the United States sent food and medical aid to the Venezuelan-Colombian border.

Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido talks to the media before a session of the National Assembly in Caracas, Venezuela February 5, 2019. REUTERS/Manaure Quintero

Pressure is building on Maduro, a socialist, to resign amid an economic crisis marked by widespread shortages and hyperinflation, with the United States and a growing number of other nations recognizing opposition leader Juan Guaido as Venezuela’s legitimate president.

Pope Francis on Tuesday expressed willingness for the Vatican to mediate Venezuela’s mounting crisis if both sides seek it. Russia, which along with China has backed Maduro in the crisis, underscored its view that the crisis can be resolved only with negotiations between the government and opposition.

Guaido, who declared himself interim president last month, is scheduled to meet later on Tuesday with business leaders at Venezuela’s main business group, Fedecamaras, to discuss an economic recovery plan under a future transition government in the OPEC-member South American country.

Maduro’s adversaries have warned that Venezuelan officials are seeking to drain state coffers ahead of a potential change of government.

Portugal-based Novo Banco halted the $1.2 billion transfer of Venezuelan government financial assets to Uruguayan banks, legislator Carlos Paparoni said during a congressional session, a day after Guaido said authorities were trying to move funds.

“I’m pleased to inform the Venezuelan people that this transaction has until now been halted, protecting the resources of all Venezuelans,” Paparoni said.

Venezuela’s Information Ministry, which handles all media inquiries, did not immediately respond to a request to comment.

Lisbon-based Novo Banco, which is 75 percent-owned by U.S. private equity firm Lone Star Funds, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Major European nations including Britain, Germany, France and Spain joined the United States on Monday in recognizing Guaido, while members of a separate regional bloc, the so-called Lima Group, kept the political heat on Maduro.

In power since former President Hugo Chavez’s death in 2013, Maduro has been accused by critics of running the OPEC nation of 30 million people like a dictatorship. Critics have called last year’s disputed presidential vote in which Maduro won re-election a sham, and the mainstream opposition boycotted it.

Trucks carrying food and medical supplies sent by the United States to be stockpiled until it can be brought into Venezuela will arrive later this week at Guaido’s request and will be prepositioned at the main Colombian-Venezuelan border crossing at Cucuta, U.S. officials with knowledge of the plan said.

It is unclear how the supplies will get into Venezuela without Maduro’s blessing and cooperation of the Venezuelan military, which has remained loyal to his government and is stationed on the Venezuelan side of the border.

VATICAN INTERVENTION

The pope, speaking to reporters aboard his plane while returning from a trip to Abu Dhabi, confirmed that Maduro had written a letter to him but said he had not yet read it. Maduro told Italian broadcaster Sky TG24 on Monday that he had sent the letter to the pope “for help in the process of facilitating and reinforcing dialogue.”

Asked about a possible direct mediation effort by the Vatican, the pope said, “I will read the letter and see what can be done, but the initial condition is that both sides ask for it. We are willing.”

Given the failure of previous rounds of dialogue, including one led by the Vatican, opponents are suspicious, believing Maduro uses them to quell protests and buy time.

U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to address the Venezuela situation in his annual State of the Union address in Washington later on Tuesday.

Slideshow (4 Images)

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the Venezuela crisis could be solved only by getting the authorities and opposition to talk to each other, Russia’s RIA news agency reported.

“We continue to believe that the only way to exit this crisis is by sitting the government and opposition down at the negotiating table,” Lavrov was quoted as saying by RIA. “Otherwise it will simply be the same regime change that the West had done many times.”</s>Venezuela's opposition leader Juan Guaido accused President Nicolas Maduro on Monday of trying to illicitly transfer up to $1.2 billion from public coffers to a bank in Uruguay.

He said Maduro was seeking to move the money from the Venezuelan Economic and Social Development Bank to Uruguay and called on the Montevideo government "not to lend itself to stealing".

"We are talking about between $1 billion and $1.2 billion dollars," said Guaido, who was recognized as Venezuela's interim president Monday by more than 15 European states.</s>CARACAS (Reuters) - Portugal-based Novo Banco halted a transfer of $1.2 billion by the government of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro to banks in Uruguay, a Venezuelan legislator said on Tuesday, a day after the opposition denounced what they called the theft of public funds.

Opposition leader Juan Guaido, who most European and Western Hemisphere nations have recognized as the country’s legitimate leader, said on Monday that authorities were trying to move up to $1.2 billion to banks in Uruguay.

Countries around the world are pressuring Maduro to resign amid a hyperinflationary economic crisis that has led millions to emigrate. His adversaries warn that officials are seeking to drain state coffers ahead of a potential change of government.

“They attempted to move Venezuelan government financial assets in Novo Banco in Portugal worth some $1.2 billion toward Uruguayan banks,” said legislator Carlos Paparoni during a congressional session on Tuesday.

“I’m pleased to inform the Venezuelan people that this transaction has until now been halted, protecting the resources of all Venezuelans.”

Venezuela’s Information Ministry, which handles all media inquiries, did not immediately respond to a request to comment.

Lisbon-based Novo Banco, which is 75 percent-owned by U.S. private equity firm Lone Star Funds, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Major European nations joined the United States on Monday in recognizing Guaido, while members of an Americas regional bloc kept up the pressure on socialist Maduro.</s>Neutral Uruguay's name mentioned in attempts to drain Venezuelan coffers

A bank in Portugal has blocked Venezuela’s attempt to transfer US$ 1.2 billion to Uruguay, a lawmaker said on Tuesday as the opposition to President Nicolas Maduro warned of the theft of public funds, while the United States sent food and medical aid to the Venezuelan-Colombian border.

Pressure is building on Maduro, to resign amid an economic crisis marked by widespread shortages and hyperinflation, with the United States and a growing number of other nations recognizing opposition leader Juan Guaido as Venezuela’s legitimate president.

Pope Francis on Tuesday expressed willingness for the Vatican to mediate Venezuela’s mounting crisis if both sides seek it.

Russia, which along with China has backed Maduro in the crisis, underscored its view that the crisis can be resolved only with negotiations between the government and opposition.

Guaido, who declared himself interim president last month, met on Tuesday with business leaders at Venezuela’s main business group, Fedecamaras, to discuss an economic recovery plan under a future transition government in oil rich Venezuela.

Maduro’s adversaries have warned that Venezuelan officials are seeking to drain state coffers ahead of a potential change of government.

Portugal-based Novo Banco halted the US$ 1.2 billion transfer of Venezuelan government financial assets to Uruguayan banks, legislator Carlos Paparoni underscored during a congressional session, a day after Guaido said authorities were trying to move funds.

“I’m pleased to inform the Venezuelan people that this transaction has until now been halted, protecting the resources of all Venezuelans,” Paparoni said.

Lisbon-based Novo Banco, is 75% owned by U.S. private equity firm Lone Star Funds.

The Uruguayan financial authorities denied such a transaction underlining the country strictly abides by international legislation and has applied to become a member of OECD, for which its banking system must comply with its rules to avoid being black listed as a non-cooperating country.

However it must also be said that the ideological affinity of the Uruguayan ruling coalition with the Venezuelan regimes of both deceased Hugo Chavez and the current Nicolas Maduro has been very strong, and helps to explain the country's 'neutrality' in the current conflict.

Furthermore members of president Tabare Vazquez family and cronies of ex president Jose Mujica have been involved in numerous dubious business dealings with Venezuelan officials, who are not known precisely for their transparency or honesty, but rather as looters or financial predators.</s>According to Portuguese legislator Carlos Paparoni, the country's Novo Banco halted a transfer of funds owned by the government of President Nicolas Maduro to banks in Uruguay.

Last week, Venezuelan opposition leader JuanGuaido announced that he would ask the European Union to protect the country's assets, adding that new leadership would be appointed at Citgo, a US-based subsidiary of Venezuelan state-owned oil company PDVSA facing Washington's sanctions.</s>CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido said on Monday Nicolas Maduro’s government was trying to move up to $1.2 billion from state development bank Bandes to its subsidiary in Uruguay, though he did not present evidence.

Guaido, who last month invoked a constitutional provision to declare himself president and has won the support of most the Western hemisphere, has repeatedly accused Maduro’s government of stealing public funds.

Venezuelan traders say Maduro’s government has been using the Bandes subsidiary in Uruguay to get around debilitating U.S. sanctions that the administration of President Donald Trump has imposed in its bid to help the opposition oust Maduro.

“We call on Uruguay in this case to not allow them to steal,” Guaido said in a televised speech in front of the National Assembly, which he heads.

Uruguay, like Mexico, has chosen to stay neutral on Venezuela’s political crisis and instead called for dialogue. Guaido and his backers say it is too late for that and Maduro must call new presidential elections.

Venezuela’s Information Ministry, which handles all media inquiries, did not immediately respond to a request to comment.

Several major European nations on Monday joined the United States, Canada and a group of Latin American countries in recognizing Guaido as Venezuela’s legitimate leader, intensifying pressure on Maduro to step down.

However Russia, China and Turkey continue to back Maduro, accusing western nations of meddling in Venezuela’s internal affairs.</s>Venezuelan opposition leader and self-declared interim president Juan Guaido said Monday that President Nicolas Maduro is trying to transfer up to $1.2 billion to a bank in Uruguay.

Speaking on national television after over a dozen European countries officially recognized him as Venezuela's leader, Guaido claimed, without presenting evidence, that Maduro was moving the money from state development bank Bandes to a financial entity in Uruguay.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the United States, which recognized Guaido as interim president last week, welcomed Monday's decision by European countries, including Austria, France, Germany, Sweden and Britain to follow suit.

"We are also heartened by the European Parliament's January 31 resolution recognizing Juan Guaido as interim president. They join the United States and more than 23 other countries in recognizing Juan Guaido as interim president, in accordance with Venezuela's constitution," Pompeo said in a statement.

The announcements came after a number of countries gave Maduro a deadline to hold free and fair elections, or else they would recognize Guaido, who declared himself interim president in January, as the leader of the South American country.

Guaido said during a recent VOA interview he would order new elections "when we achieve the capacity to convene elections." First, Guaido said, "we have to achieve the necessary force in order for this usurpation to end."

In New York Monday, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the United Nations will not participate in any groups of countries looking to resolve the political crisis in Venezuela.

"The UN secretariat has decided not to be part of any of these groups in order to give credibility to our continued offer of good offices to the parties to be able at their request to help find a political solution," Guterres told reporters.

British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt posted on Twitter: "Nicolas Maduro has not called Presidential elections within 8 day limit we have set. So UK alongside European allies now recognizes @jguaido as interim constitutional president until credible elections can be held. Let's hope this take us closer to ending humanitarian crisis."

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said Monday in Madrid that "...we are working for the return of full democracy in Venezuela..."

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian told France Inter Radio that the Venezuelan crisis would end "peacefully" with an early presidential election.

In Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov criticized Monday's European declarations as "attempts to legitimize usurped power" and "interference in Venezuela's internal affairs."

Maduro has presided over a Venezuelan economic collapse that has resulted in chronic shortages of food and medicine. He blames the U.S. for supporting what he calls a coup to remove him from power and exploit Venezuela's vast oil reserves.

On Monday, Canada announced at an emergency meeting of the Lima group that it would provide $53 million in aid to Venezuela.

"The bulk of the funds will go to trusted partners and neighboring countries to help them support Venezuela and Venezuelans," Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told the group, which includes Canada and 13 Latin American countries.</s>CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido said on Monday the government of President Nicolas Maduro was trying to move up to $1.2 billion from state development bank Bandes to a financial entity in Uruguay, though he did not present evidence.

Venezuela’s Information Ministry did not immediately respond to a request to comment.

Guaido, in a televised speech, called on the Uruguayan government to not allow the operation, which he denounced as the “theft of public funds.”</s>Uruguay have confirmed veteran coach Oscar Tabarez has had surgery on a hernia issue, but is recovering well.

Oscar Tabarez has undergone surgery on an umbilical hernia, the Uruguay FA (AUF) has confirmed.

The veteran coach led Uruguay to the quarter-finals of the World Cup last year, where they lost to France.

Uruguay confirmed in a statement released on Tuesday that Tabarez has had a successful operation.

"He has had a good recovery, and in days he will return to normal activity," the AUF said.

Tabarez, who will be 72 next month, has been in charge of Uruguay since 2006.

In September 2018 he signed a contract extension that will keep him in the role until 2022, meaning he could lead Uruguay to a fourth World Cup.

Uruguay have been drawn with Ecuador, Japan and defending champions Chile in the group stage of this year's Copa America.</s>MOSCOW (AP) — More than a week into a standoff with the opposition, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said Wednesday he was willing to negotiate.

Violent street demonstrations erupted last week after opposition leader Juan Guaido declared during a major opposition rally in Caracas that he had assumed presidential powers under the constitution and planned to call fresh elections to end Maduro’s “dictatorship.”

Maduro had rejected negotiations, but said in an interview with Russia’s state-owned RIA Novosti news agency that he was open to talks with the opposition.

“I’m willing to sit down for talks with the opposition so that we could talk for the sake of Venezuela’s peace and its future,” he said.

Maduro said other countries could mediate, mentioning Mexico, Uruguay, Bolivia, the Vatican and Russia as possible candidates.

Maduro also accused U.S. President Donald Trump of ordering a hit on him from Colombia. He said he was aware of Trump’s alleged “orders” for the Colombian government and the local mafia to kill him.

Russia has been one of Maduro’s staunchest supporters, providing the South American country with loans and weapons.

A top Russian official said Tuesday that Moscow expects “problems” ahead of an upcoming payment on Russia’s $3 billion loan.

Maduro refused to comment on reports last week that Kremlin-linked private military contractors were dispatched to boost his security detail, saying he “cannot say anything about it.”

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Portuguese bank Novo Banco blocks the transfer of $1.2 billion of Venezuelan government financial assets to Uruguay. The move was requested by the Nicolás Maduro government.