美国国家公共电台 NPR U.S. Masses Aid Along Venezuelan Border As Some Humanitarian Groups Warn Of Risks

 

MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:

Now to the Colombia-Venezuela border, where the U.S. is positioning food and medicine, which it hopes to get to needy¹ Venezuelans. But the plan is highly controversial. Venezuela's authoritarian² president, Nicolas Maduro, claims the aid operation is a prelude³ to a U.S. invasion, so he's closed the border. And, as John Otis reports, even some international relief agencies are wary⁴ of the U.S. effort.

JOHN OTIS, BYLINE⁵: Due to Maduro's blockade, tons of food and emergency medical kits⁶ are stuck in a warehouse⁷ just outside the city of Cucuta on the Colombian side of the border.

UNIDENTIFIED PROTESTERS: (Chanting in Spanish).

OTIS: That has sparked protests like this one in a Cucuta park. These Venezuelans, who have crossed over to take part, are demanding that the U.S. aid be allowed into their country.

UNIDENTIFIED PROTESTERS: (Chanting in Spanish).

OTIS: But the massing of U.S. supplies on the border is also a provocation⁸. The U.S. is trying to convince Venezuelan military officers to defy Maduro's orders and allow the aid into the country. Such a rebellion could lead to Maduro's ouster. And that's exactly what Venezuela needs, says Kevin Whitaker, the U.S. ambassador to Colombia. He spoke⁹ with NPR by phone from Washington.

KEVIN WHITAKER: He needs to leave so that his people's needs can be attended to, so the Venezuelan economy can be put back on its feet and so that Venezuela can once again be a normal country. He needs to leave.

OTIS: But humanitarian¹⁰ operations are supposed to be neutral. That's why the International Red Cross and other relief agencies have refused to collaborate¹¹ with the U.S. effort on the Venezuelan border. Here's Stephane Dujarric, the United Nations spokesman, at a recent press briefing.

(SOUNDBITE OF PRESS BRIEFING)

STEPHANE DUJARRIC: What is important is that humanitarian aid be depoliticized.

OTIS: The risks of linking aid to regime change are already coming into focus, with some aid workers being denounced by the Maduro government as opposition¹² activists¹³. Daniel Almeida works for CARE International, which partners with aid groups in Venezuela.

DANIEL ALMEIDA: Local AGOs received sort of retaliations or warnings because of their engagement with international aid. The whole environment is becoming more aggressive.

OTIS: Another danger is that Maduro, who currently allows in some humanitarian assistance, could close the door on aid altogether. Meanwhile, aid groups are bracing¹⁴ for U.S. sanctions that effectively block the sales of Venezuelan oil to the U.S. These proceeds make up the bulk of Venezuela's cash income, which is used to import food and medical supplies. That means rice, milk and antibiotics¹⁵ could become even more scarce. Even so, many Venezuelans strongly back the U.S. approach. They include Jose Manuel Olivares, a doctor and opposition congressman¹⁶.

JOSE MANUEL OLIVARES: (Speaking Spanish).

OTIS: Olivares says he's convinced there won't be time for average Venezuelans to feel the pinch of the sanctions because Maduro will soon be forced out. Ambassador Whitaker insists that the U.S. aid effort is moral and ethical¹⁷. By contrast, he says Maduro is funneling¹⁸ state food handouts¹⁹ to hungry Venezuelans in exchange for their support.

WHITAKER: If anyone's politicizing this, it's Maduro because there's need of great aid in that country.

OTIS: The Venezuelan opposition is now enlisting²⁰ thousands of volunteers to help break the aid blockade starting on February 23. Such a maneuver²¹ could provoke clashes with the security forces. Still, Jorge Valenzuela (ph), a retired²² lawyer at the protest in Cucuta, has signed up to help

JORGE VALENZUELA: (Speaking in Spanish).

OTIS: The aid is legitimate²³, he says, and we need it.

For NPR News, I'm John Otis in Cucuta, Colombia.

1 needy   

adj.贫穷的，贫困的，生活艰苦的

参考例句：

• Although he was poor,he was quite generous to his needy friends.他虽穷，但对贫苦的朋友很慷慨。
• They awarded scholarships to needy students.他们给贫苦学生颁发奖学金。

2 authoritarian   

n./adj.专制(的)，专制主义者，独裁主义者

参考例句：

• Foreign diplomats suspect him of authoritarian tendencies.各国外交官怀疑他有着独裁主义倾向。
• The authoritarian policy wasn't proved to be a success.独裁主义的政策证明并不成功。

3 prelude   

n.序言，前兆，序曲

参考例句：

• The prelude to the musical composition is very long.这首乐曲的序曲很长。
• The German invasion of Poland was a prelude to World War II.德国入侵波兰是第二次世界大战的序幕。

4 wary   

adj.谨慎的，机警的，小心的

参考例句：

• He is wary of telling secrets to others.他谨防向他人泄露秘密。
• Paula frowned,suddenly wary.宝拉皱了皱眉头，突然警惕起来。

5 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

6 kits   

衣物和装备( kit的名词复数 )； 成套用品； 配套元件

参考例句：

• Keep your kits closed and locked when not in use. 不用的话把你的装备都锁好放好。
• Gifts Articles, Toy and Games, Wooden Toys, Puzzles, Craft Kits. 采购产品礼品，玩具和游戏，木制的玩具，智力玩具，手艺装备。

7 warehouse   

n.仓库；vt.存入仓库

参考例句：

• We freighted the goods to the warehouse by truck.我们用卡车把货物运到仓库。
• The manager wants to clear off the old stocks in the warehouse.经理想把仓库里积压的存货处理掉。

8 provocation   

n.激怒，刺激，挑拨，挑衅的事物，激怒的原因

参考例句：

• He's got a fiery temper and flares up at the slightest provocation.他是火爆性子，一点就着。
• They did not react to this provocation.他们对这一挑衅未作反应。

9 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

10 humanitarian   

n.人道主义者，博爱者，基督凡人论者

参考例句：

• She has many humanitarian interests and contributes a lot to them.她拥有很多慈善事业，并作了很大的贡献。
• The British government has now suspended humanitarian aid to the area.英国政府现已暂停对这一地区的人道主义援助。

11 collaborate   

vi.协作，合作；协调

参考例句：

• The work gets done more quickly when we collaborate.我们一旦合作，工作做起来就更快了。
• I would ask you to collaborate with us in this work.我们愿意请你们在这项工作中和我们合作。

12 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

13 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

14 bracing   

adj.令人振奋的

参考例句：

• The country is bracing itself for the threatened enemy invasion. 这个国家正准备奋起抵抗敌人的入侵威胁。
• The atmosphere in the new government was bracing. 新政府的气氛是令人振奋的。

15 antibiotics   

n.（用作复数）抗生素；（用作单数）抗生物质的研究；抗生素，抗菌素( antibiotic的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• the discovery of antibiotics in the 20th century 20世纪抗生素的发现
• The doctor gave me a prescription for antibiotics. 医生给我开了抗生素。

16 Congressman   

n.（美）国会议员

参考例句：

• He related several anecdotes about his first years as a congressman.他讲述自己初任议员那几年的几则轶事。
• The congressman is meditating a reply to his critics.这位国会议员正在考虑给他的批评者一个答复。

17 ethical   

adj.伦理的，道德的，合乎道德的

参考例句：

• It is necessary to get the youth to have a high ethical concept.必须使青年具有高度的道德观念。
• It was a debate which aroused fervent ethical arguments.那是一场引发强烈的伦理道德争论的辩论。

18 funneling   

[医]成漏斗形：描述膀胱底及膀胱尿道交接区

参考例句：

19 handouts   

救济品( handout的名词复数 )； 施舍物； 印刷品； 讲义

参考例句：

• Soldiers oversee the food handouts. 士兵们看管着救济食品。
• Even after losing his job, he was too proud to accept handouts. 甚至在失去工作后，他仍然很骄傲，不愿接受施舍。

20 enlisting   

v.（使）入伍， （使）参军( enlist的现在分词 )；获得（帮助或支持）

参考例句：

• He thought about enlisting-about the Spanish legion-about a profession. 他想去打仗，想参加西班牙军团，想找个职业。 来自辞典例句
• They are not enlisting men over thirty-five. 他们不召超过35岁的人入伍。 来自辞典例句

21 maneuver   

n.策略[pl.]演习；v.(巧妙)控制；用策略

参考例句：

• All the fighters landed safely on the airport after the military maneuver.在军事演习后，所有战斗机都安全降落在机场上。
• I did get her attention with this maneuver.我用这个策略确实引起了她的注意。

22 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

23 legitimate   

adj.合法的，合理的，合乎逻辑的；v.使合法

参考例句：

• Sickness is a legitimate reason for asking for leave.生病是请假的一个正当的理由。
• That's a perfectly legitimate fear.怀有这种恐惧完全在情理之中。