Usage of 'the' in sentences

Question

Is the needed in the following sentences? What does the sentences with and without the mean?

1. (The) people who stand by you in your tough times are the best friends of yours.

2. This notice is for (the) people who want to donate blood in the camp near the university ground.

3. (The) students who used to read at this school are very successful now.

4. Nikolas Maduro betrayed (the) people who voted for him.

Another question, please tell me is it necessary to use the ?

5. John: What do you think about nikolas maduro getting elected as president regularly after so much anarchism in Venezuela? Me:- I think the people have no choice other than him to vote for.

I think 'the' is necessary. what do you think?

Answer 1

1. "The" is optional in this sentence- both sentences have the same meaning. However "the best friends of yours" would sound better as "your best friends".

2. "The" is optional and again does not change the meaning.

3. "The students" means that every single student who read at the school is successful; "students" alone means that perhaps only some of the students are successful.

4. "Betrayed people" implies that Maduro personally betrayed individual citizens; "betrayed the people" means that Maduro betrayed his voters as a group.

5. "The people" again implies the united people, as a nation in this case; "people" alone means that individual citizens must themselves decide to vote against Maduro.