1,000 Venezuelan forces cross border since Feb

CARACAS, Mar 19 (AP): About 1,000 members of the Venezuelan security forces have fled to Colombia since last month, giving up weapons and uniforms as they abandoned the government of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, Colombian authorities said on Monday.

Colombia's foreign ministry released the updated number of Venezuelan police and military personnel who crossed the border, many around the time of a Feb. 23 attempt by opposition leader Juan Guaido to deliver US-provided humanitarian aid to Venezuela.

The attempt failed because Venezuelan forces blocked trucks trying to cross from Colombia into Venezuela.

The deserters have received lodging, health care and legal aid, and were accompanied by some 400 family members, Colombian officials said.

Colombia, the United States and about 50 other countries support Guaido's claim that he is the interim president of Venezuela and that Maduro is illegitimate because his re-election last year was marred by irregularities.