Crisis on the border with Colombia: there are already eight Venezuelan soldiers killed in the fight against FARC dissent

Eight Venezuelan soldiers have died since the country’s armed forces began operations two weeks ago against irregular armed groups on the border with Colombia., as the Minister of Defense of the Chavist dictatorship reported on Monday, Vladimir Padrino López.

“To date, these terrorist groups have claimed nine lives and, unfortunately, we have suffered the loss of eight colleagues from the Bolivarian National Armed Forces, as well as 34 wounded, who received medical assistance,” Padrino said in a broadcast. . state television speech VTV.

Venezuelan armed forces report clashes with Colombian irregular groups in the border state of Apure (west) since March 21, also forcing the displacement of thousands of civilians to Colombia.

Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro denounced Sunday that these groups, which unite his Colombian counterpart Iván Duque, have also planted antipersonnel mines on Venezuelan territory, which has contributed to military losses.

He also announced that the Chavist regime would ask the United Nations for “immediate help” to “deactivate the minefields”.

According to Padrino, 16 explosive devices were “deactivated” near the town of La Victoria, in Apure, the epicenter of the conflict.

Venezuelan authorities normally avoid identifying irregular groups, beyond labeling them terrorists or associating them with drug trafficking and Duque. However, the Venezuelan dictator acknowledged the possibility that dissidents of the dissolved FARC guerrillas could be at the origin of these clashes.

Several associations with members in the region also confirmed that they were FARC dissidents.

Padrino pointed out that, by order of Maduro, a “temporary integral defense special operational zone” has been activated in the area, which will be commanded by Major General Alejando Javier Benitez Marcano with “a coordination staff”.

They also activated a full brigade, called Negro Primero, under the command of General Wilfredo Alexander Medrano, “to whom the necessary military units and equipment will be assigned”.

Likewise, the Minister of Defense explained that Maduro “ordered extraordinary measures”, which include the creation of a “safe zone in the municipalities of Páez, Muñoz and Romulo Gallegos”, all in Apure and where most of the fighting took place.

As part of these measures, The FANB Strategic Operational Command will design and execute “special public security plans to deal with destabilization actions”. which threaten peace, personal security and “the safeguard of public and private facilities and property” to “guarantee internal order, citizens’ peace and human rights”.

He also indicated that this command, through the integral defense operational zone of Apure and jointly with the civil, regional and municipal authorities, “in order to safeguard human rights”, will establish restrictions and transit schedules. .

Likewise, they will impose “time restrictions for the operation of public and private places”, in addition to implementing security control measures “to guarantee public services and the peace of citizens”.

Finally, Padrino clarified that the military deployed in the area “can carry out inspections of real and personal property in accordance with the laws and regulations in force”, as well as “evict illegal occupations of public property that affect the security and defense of the nation. “.

He also warned that military units “will intervene to restore free movement in urban or rural areas in the event of an interruption”, in addition to launching “other actions that guarantee free development and peace in the region”.

The two countries, with a shared border of 2,200 km, severed relations after the Duque government recognized the opposition Juan Guaidó as Venezuela’s interim president in January 2019, after the fraudulent elections won by Maduro in 2018.

Although Guaidó is recognized as interim president by fifty countries, with the United States at the helm, Maduro maintains control of power with the support of the national armed forces.

With information from AFP and EFE

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