Guaido asks international community to apply pressure on Maduro

CARACAS – Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido is calling on Western nations to continue applying pressure to oust Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

He made his comments in a video message released on Monday ahead of a meeting in Ottawa by the Lima Group, a group of countries from the Americas that oppose Maduro and recognize Guaido as the country's legitimate interim leader.

Guaido said that Venezuelans are still under a dictatorship and that it is becoming increasingly important to apply pressure on Maduro.

Two dozen foreign affairs ministers, ambassadors and other officials from the Americas and Europe heard Guaido's message while gathered in Ottawa to define the terms of their opposition to the Maduro regime.

At the meeting, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced $53 million in new humanitarian aid for the Venezuelan people.