Venezuelan opposition asked for Vatican and Red Cross help to free soldiers kidnapped by FARC

The Venezuelan opposition led by Juan Guaidó asked this Saturday for the support of the Vatican and the Red Cross to release the eight soldiers kidnapped by FARC dissidents in the state of Apure, bordering Colombia, where, since March 21, the armed forces fight irregular armed groups. of Colombian origin.

Guaidó’s representative in Colombia, Tomás Guanipa, blamed President Nicolás Maduro for the kidnappings and for the cession of “territorial sovereignty” to irregular armed groups. “Due to Maduro and his policy of ceding our territorial sovereignty to irregular foreign armed groups, these Venezuelan soldiers are kidnapped and their lives are in danger. We ask the Vatican and the Red Cross for all the support necessary to achieve his rapid release ”, Guanipa wrote on his Twitter account.

The opposition message is accompanied by a video dated May 16, the authorship of which has not been revealed, in which one of the hostages, accompanied by the other seven, reads a statement addressed to the “Bolivarian people, to the government national, to the Red Cross. Internationale and the FARC ”.

“We are making this message as proof of life and after listening to the testimony of our Chief General (Vladimir Padrino) to make arrangements for our delivery to these three mentioned actors and to thank that the actions are diligent and as quickly as possible., and with this guarantee the security and the confidence that it deserves in our case, ”read the soldier.

In addition, he called on Diosdado Cabello, a leader of Chavism whom the soldier calls “my captain”, to step up efforts so that the liberation is “swift and rapid”.

“We want to be with our families and put the lesson learned into practice. Thank you all for your prayers and for keeping an eye on us. We are enjoying good health and good nutrition right now. I am showing the date today, 16 out of 5 of 2021, ”concluded the soldier.

The Government, which barely reported on the conflict to Apure, pointed out just under a month ago that “several” other members of the armed forces had died in a clash, after revealing on April 5 that they were had fallen in battle. soldiers and 9 “terrorists”.

Nicolás Maduro’s “alliance” with guerrilla groups will be punished as a “crime against humanity”

During the week, the opposition assured that Nicolás Maduro’s “alliance” with guerrilla groups would be punished as a “crime against humanity”. Through a message on Twitter, the opponent and former MP Juan Pablo Guanipa stated that the death – not yet confirmed by the authorities – of FARC dissident Jesús Santrich “in Venezuelan territory it is the demonstration that the guerrillas operated at ease on our border”With Colombia.

“Nicolás Maduro’s alliance with the guerrillas will be punished as a crime against humanity which does not prescribe,” he noted.

The Venezuelan opposition has repeatedly stated that Maduro’s regime is an ally of FARC dissident Iván Márquez, which, according to complaints from Colombia and NGOs, has been on Venezuelan territory for months.

Maduro himself said in 2019 that he and Jesús Santrich, who passed away a few days ago, were welcome in Venezuela.

Opposition complaints about Maduro’s “alliance” with these two guerrillas have increased in recent weeks., after March 21, armed conflict between the armed forces and another FARC dissident group which would be dominated by “Gentle Duarte“.

According to the opposition, the armed forces are fighting this group under the orders of Maduro and his allies Marquez and Santrich.

Tuesday, one of the FARC dissidents confirmed Santrich’s death during alleged events on the Venezuelan side of the Serranía del Perijá, an event that neither the Colombian nor Venezuelan governments have reaffirmed.

According to the NGO Fundaredes, the only source that gives an overview of what is currently happening in the border area, the conflict that began in the border state of Apure with Colombia, has spread to Zulia and Amazonas, also bordering.

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