Colombia conducts military exercise in Venezuelan border region

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – During the exercise, the Combined Arms Task Force of the National Army displayed artillery pieces, special squadrons, Black Hawk helicopters, ‘Spike’ anti-tank systems, and fire systems, among others.

Colombian soldiers carried out this Saturday a military exercise in the Caribbean department of La Guajira, bordering Venezuela, and the Minister of Defense, Diego Molano, assured that the country is prepared to respond to any international threat.

“This exercise, which is carried out routinely, sought to determine the capabilities and training of our National Army in border areas, particularly in La Guajira,” Molano told journalists at the Buenavista Military Canton in La Guajira.

During the exercise, the National Army’s Combined Arms Task Force exhibited artillery pieces, special squadrons, Black Hawk helicopters, ‘Spike’ anti-tank systems and fire systems, among others.

Molano stressed that the Colombian Armed Forces are trained to respond to any threat that interferes with the security of Colombians.

“The protection of Colombians is a commitment that goes from La Guajira to the Amazon. That is why we have this Combined Force to guarantee the tranquility of Colombians and protect them from any threat that interferes with their security,” he said.

According to the high official, the main threat faced by the authorities on the border is “drug trafficking”, a “transnational crime,” and affirmed that “some of the illegal armed groups seek to use drug trafficking routes leaving Venezuela.”

Molano assured that several groups are operating on the Venezuelan border disputing the drug trafficking business – the National Liberation Army (ELN) and two FARC dissidents – with “the connivance of the Bolivarian Military Forces”.

Colombia and Venezuela share a 2,219-kilometer border, but their diplomatic relations have been broken since February 23, 2019 by order of Maduro, following an attempt by opposition leader Juan Guaidó to cross the border from the Colombian city of Cúcuta at the head of a humanitarian aid caravan.

BORDER VIOLENCE

On March 21, fighting broke out in the Venezuelan state of Apure between the Bolivarian National Armed Forces (FANB) and an armed group identified by several organizations working in the area as FARC dissidents.

So far, no official or military source has confirmed against which group they are fighting, although the military has released photos showing seized uniforms with the logos and acronyms of the former FARC guerrillas.

As a result of the fighting, some 6,000 people have fled the area and crossed the Arauca border river to take refuge in the Colombian municipalities located on its banks, especially in Arauquita.

“The decision of our Military Forces and President (Iván) Duque is to support that humanitarian situation so that the more than 5,700 Venezuelans and Colombians there can return safely,” Molano assured this Saturday.