Venezuela's Guaido says humanitarian aid to come from Colombia and Brazil

Venezuela's self-proclaimed acting president Juan Guaido said Saturday the opposition will start gathering humanitarian aid from Colombia and Brazil and urged the military to let it into the crisis-wracked country.

The opposition leader, who is challenging the authority of socialist President Nicolas Maduro, said the aid would be gathered in three places: Cucuta in Colombia, somewhere in Brazil and a Caribbean island.

The 35-year-old National Assembly president, speaking at a mass opposition rally in the east of Caracas, also announced the creation of a "global coalition for the humanitarian aid and Venezuela's freedom," without giving more details.

He said "what we need for our people to survive" would be gathered "in the coming days" before adding: "You, soldier... have the decision in your hands" to allow it in or not.

Maduro has so far refused to authorize the entry of humanitarian aid, arguing that it would precede a military intervention by those countries backing Guaido's claim