Venezuela reopens border where migrants used trails to reach Brazil

A Venezuelan migrant carrying his suitcase arrives in the border city of Pacaraima, Brazil April 12, 2019. REUTERS/Pilar Olivares

PACARAIMA, Brazil (Reuters) - Venezuela reopened its border crossing to Brazil on Friday, after its closure for nearly three months forced desperate Venezuelans to use indigenous trails to smuggle food and basic goods or to flee their crisis-stricken homeland.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro closed the only formal crossing between the countries in February to block an opposition attempt to bring U.S. aid in from Brazil and Colombia. Opposition leader Juan Guaido has urged the military to oust Maduro, branding him a dictator, while the government in turn calls Guaido a puppet of Washington and a coup-monger.