Tension summit between Colombia and Venezuela | The cat …

From Caracas

Relations between the Government of Venezuela and Colombia have taken new confrontational measures this week. The first charge was brought by Iván Duque after the announcement of the return to arms by a FARC sector. The president said that the group, which he called "narcoterrorist group", has "the refuge and support of Nicolás Maduro's dictatorship".

In response to the president's accusations, the Venezuelan government issued a statement rejecting the accusations. "It is unusual for Iván Duque, with absolute negligence, to badume his exclusive responsibility towards third countries and third parties, in the project of dismantling the peace process and in the respect of the commitments signed and signed by the 39, Colombian State. "

This is not the first time that the Colombian government accuses the Venezuelan government of letting the insurgent forces operate on its territory, especially the ELN. To this matrix was added the mention that Iván Márquez and Jesús Santrich – present in the center of the video to announce the return of arms – were in the neighboring country.

Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López denounced the war intentions behind Iván Duque's accusations: "The political problem facing Colombia can not and must not lead to a military clash. We urge you not to seek excuses or false pretenses to attempt to violate our territorial sovereignty, whether by conventional forces or by irregular groups. "

In this context, Venezuelan Minister of Communication Jorge Rodríguez on Saturday denounced the operation of three armed preparation camps in Colombia, where terrorist acts against the Venezuelan government and society are being prepared.

He pointed out that one of them is located in the city of Maicao, 2.5 km from the border, another in Río Acha and the third in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. The first two are, he explained, explosive training and the third, military training. Jorge Rodríguez denounced "more than 200 people trained in paramilitary actions, terrorists, selective killings and aggression at the border".

"What are you going to do Iván Duque?", Said the Minister of Communication, calling on the Colombian president to disbademble the training centers of which he is an accomplice, he explained.

Rodríguez explained that Venezuelan services had managed to confirm the existence of the centers after the dismantling of three explosive operations. The first two were scheduled to take place on August 17, when explosives detonating C4 charges were in front of the Special Forces headquarters and a building in the Jan. 23 district of Chavista Fortress. The third was scheduled to take place in late August, with the detonation of an explosive in the Caracas courthouse, located in one of the busiest neighborhoods in the city center.

"All of this is part of a plan that culminated in the next fifteen years, they planned to carry out actions of greater magnitude against the people of Venezuela and the President of the Republic." said Jorge Rodríguez.

The cross-accusations thus resume their greatest tension since 23 February, when the Colombian government opened two international bridges to try to force trucks and demonstrators into Venezuelan territory by force. The following night, a group of 60 paramilitaries launched an attack on a Bolivarian National Guard post a few kilometers from the international bridge.

This is not the first time that the Venezuelan government accuses the Colombian government of actively participating in the attempts to overthrow Nicolás Maduro. In August 2018, Venezuela noted that the perpetrators of the president's badbadination attempt had entered a camp in Colombia, specifically in Chinácota. From there, they would also have brought the drones that loaded the explosives to perform the action.

The escalation occurs at a time of crisis of Venezuelan opposition, which has lost its ability to mobilize and generate expectations. Its initiatives have been reduced in recent weeks, as has its national and international media impact.

The international scene has had two new plants in return. The first, of an order similar to that encountered by Cuba, Iran, Syria and North Korea. The second, political, recognizes the existence of direct dialogues between the American government and the Venezuelan.

The latter took place after Maduro decided to withdraw from the opposition dialogue table in Barbados, due to the new stage of unilateral actions of the United States. The confirmation of channels of dialogue between the two governments has shown that the resolution of the conflict requires an agreement with the American government, a true decision-maker, financial and articulator of the Maduro attempt to overthrow.

The possibility of this agreement still seems far in a locked game. USA He states that he is not willing to negotiate that does not involve the departure of the Venezuelan president before an election. As far as the Maduro government is concerned, one of the demands is the withdrawal of the blockade against the country.

How will the new escalation between Venezuela and Colombia work in this context? The Venezuelan government has repeatedly denounced the labyrinths of war prepared by the neighboring country. The Vice President, Delcy Rodríguez, announced that she would present to the UN evidence on "the protection of Iván Duque to terrorist and armed groups in Colombia, with his consent to undermine our order constitutional".