Nicolas Maduro, Venezuela's president, speaks during a televised press conference in Caracas, Venezuela, on Friday, Jan. 25, 2019. Carlos Becerra | Bloomberg | Getty Images

A coalition group of Latin American countries and Canada has urged the Venezuelan military to sever ties with President Nicolas Maduro. It comes at a time when political tensions in Venezuela are reaching boiling point, with the oil-rich, but cash-poor, country in the midst of the Western Hemisphere's worst humanitarian crisis in recent memory. In a statement published Monday, 11 of the 14 members of the Lima Group called for a "peaceful transition through political and diplomatic means without the use of force." The group also underscored the need for an urgent delivery of humanitarian aid and insisted international governments "take measures to prevent the Maduro regime … from doing business in oil, gold and other assets."

What's going on?

Major global powers, including the U.S., have publicly recognized opposition leader Juan Guaido as Venezuela's legitimate interim president. Guaido's declaration as the rightful leader of the South American country takes Venezuela into uncharted territory. That's because there is now an internationally recognized opposition — without control over state functions — running a parallel government to Maduro.

Juan Guaido, President of Venezuela's National Assembly, reacts during a rally against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's government and to commemorate the 61st anniversary of the end of the dictatorship of Marcos Perez Jimenez in Caracas, Venezuela January 23, 2019. Carlos Garcia Rawlins | Reuters

At the start of January, Maduro was sworn in for a second term. It followed an election marred by an opposition boycott and claims of vote-rigging. The result prompted a fresh wave of anti-government demonstrations in the capital city of Caracas, with thousands of protestors seen marching in support of Guaido over the weekend.

What does the Lima Group want?

The Lima Group was set up in 2017 with the aim of finding a peaceful solution to Venezuela's deepening economic and humanitarian crisis. On Monday, it published a 17-point declaration following a meeting in Ottawa, Canada. The document says the governments of Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama, Paraguay and Peru "reiterate their recognition and support for Juan Guaido." In addition to condemning the "persistent and serious violations of human rights in the country," they also "called upon the National Armed Forces of Venezuela to demonstrate their loyalty to the interim president in his constitutional functions as their Commander in Chief."

Chrystia Freeland, Canada's foreign affairs minister, right, speaks during a news conference following a meeting of the Lima Group in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, on Monday, Feb. 4, 2019. David Kawai | Bloomberg via Getty Images

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also announced $53 million in new funding to support people in Venezuela. The aid package is designed to help the three million refugees who have fled the crisis in recent years. Mexico, Guyana and Saint Lucia were the only Lima Group members not to be included on the statement.

What has Maduro said?