A woman and her husband have been killed and 15 people injured in a clash with security forces on the border between Venezuela and Brazil.

It comes as a massive Live Aid-style concert was staged in Colombia by Richard Branson in the hope of getting aid into the country.

On Thursday, President Nicolas Maduro ordered the border between Venezuela and Brazil to be closed as the opposition made plans to bring in humanitarian aid from Brazil and two other neighbouring countries on Saturday.

Branson addresses aid concert

Gran Sabana mayor Emilio Gonzalez said members of the Pemon ethnic group clashed with the Venezuela National Guard and army as they were moving tanks to the border with Brazil.

He said the soldiers fired rubber bullets and tear gas and the injured people were taken for medical treatment.


Meanwhile, Sir Richard hopes a fundraising concert organised on Friday for Venezuela in the Colombia border city of Cucuta will convince soldiers to disobey Mr Maduro and allow humanitarian aid on the border to get into the country.

The concert was attended by opposition leader Juan Guaido, who arrived arm-in-arm with Colombian president Ivan Duque.

Thousands of Venezuelans cross the border towards Cucuta, Colombia to go to the Live Aid Concert organised by Billionaire Businessman Sir Richard Branson.

Six hundred tonnes of aid has been sitting in a storage facility at the Tienditas International Bridge for the last two weeks.

Millions of people in Venezuela have no basic items, such as food and medicines, and have been forced to flee the country.

Mr Maduro denies his country is in crisis and is stopping the aid - mainly from American donations - getting through because he believes it is a ploy by US President Donald Trump to overthrow his administration.

Image: Crowds at the concert on the border

Sir Richard said he postponed a planned test flight into space by his Virgin Galactic company in California to join dozens of pop artists from Latin America in the Colombian city of Cucuta.

The billionaire said he and a Colombian entrepreneur friend got the idea for a concert after speaking with opposition leader Juan Guaido and his political mentor Leopoldo Lopez.

The United States, along with the UK and dozens of other countries, have said they recognise Mr Guaido as Venezuela's rightful president.

Sir Richard said: "For those people who think Venezuela is a utopia and Venezuela isn't suffering they should really come here into the crowd today and ask them why they are leaving."

Image: President Nicolas Maduro ordered the border to be closed

Mr Maduro's socialist government is also promising a three-day festival deemed "Hands Off Venezuela" on the border.

"The eyes of the world will be on Venezuela," opposition leader David Smolansky said before the concert.