COLOMBIA (CelebrityAccess) Richard Branson’s ambitious Venezuela Aid Live concert took place yesterday in the border town of Cucuta, Colombia, to raise money for humanitarian aid to Venezuela, but television viewers in Venezuela did not get a chance to see it.
Tensions are still high between the two countries and a major push to deliver aid to Venezuela could turn violent today, according to pundits. Branson’s concert planned to raise $10 million, and launch a humanitarian aid campaign that would raise $100 million, with artists Carlos Vives, Juanes, Maluma, Alesso, Mana and Alejandro Sanz among the performers. The concert featured a crowd chant of “Freedom” and it ended with a rendition of John Lennon’s “Imagine.”
However, the Venezuelan government was not happy and blocked viewers in the country from watching the concert online or on television, according to Deadline Hollywood.
Venezuelan is by all accounts in turmoil with the government of Nicolas Maduro considered illegitimate. President Maduro has said that aid is not needed and has vowed to block any attempt to bring it into his country, sparking fears of violence. The New York Times has already noted there are reports of tear gas being implemented along the Venezuelan/Colombian border this morning while the BBC reports that Venezuelan soldiers have abandoned their posts along the border.
