National Liberation Army (ELN) guerrillas, FARC dissidents, as well as drug traffickers from the Clan del Golfo operate along the border between Colombia and Venezuela, the governor of Táchira said this Saturday, Freddy Bernal,
The two countries share a porous border of over 2,200 km, where “12 formations of the National Liberation Army operate, three from FARC dissidents, one from the Popular Liberation Army (EPL), three from the Clan del Golfo”, The pro-government governor told reporters during a security operation in the area.
Bernal indicated that “the 45 paramilitary group established north of Santander is also operating and trying to capture the border.” in addition to «26 criminal groups of the Aragua train»A Venezuelan criminal gang that extends its tentacles to Colombia and other Latin American countries.
Deployment in Urena
Some 1,300 soldiers, including the army and police, were deployed in the town of Ureña, which borders the Colombian city of Cucuta. Bernal said that there is a “dispute for control of the territory” between these groups.
The officers joined the operation along with the chiefs of the army and the Venezuelan police.
Soldiers in three armored vehicles patrolled the city with bullet belts on their chests. Soldiers are also said to have taken illegal steps “Path”, Where thousands of people from both countries come and go, and these criminal gangs smuggle millions of dollars.
Bernal said, “They have tried with great effort to harm the peace and tranquility that we have here on the border.”
Three people died in the operation.
This operation is carried out a few days after the meeting between the Defense Ministers of the two countries. in this he affirmed Commitment to combat irregular groups along the shared border,
The two countries have entered a process of restarting ties, which began with Colombia’s first leftist president coming to power last August. Gustavo Petro,
Despite the demobilization of thousands of FARC guerrilla fighters following the signing of peace in 2016, Colombia continues to suffer the ravages of an armed conflict that has not abated more than half a century later.
