South American governments pledge to help Venezuela out of crisis

In making the mediation offer, members of the regional trade bloc Mercosur, which suspended Venezuela’s membership last year, called on the country’s increasingly embattled government “to put an immediate end” to any actions that could increase political polarisation. The call came after the invasion earlier this week of the national assembly by members of pro-government militias, who beat up members of the opposition-controlled body. The deepening crisis has already led to an increase in the number of Venezuelans seeking refuge in neighbouring countries, which fear further deterioration could result to a mass exodus among a population already victim to worsening shortages and some of the highest rates of violence in the world. More…