The Ministry for Foreign Affairs issued a statement on Wednesday to reject the statements of the Foreign Ministry of the Republic of Colombia, where they accuse Venezuela of having violated its airspace with aircraft of the Bolivarian National Armed Forces (FANB).
The accusation is described in the text as a new false positive. They also reiterate their willingness to work tirelessly to maintain peace.
Following, the complete text:
“The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela categorically rejects the press release published yesterday by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Colombia and has no hesitation in describing as a new false positive the information about the alleged incursion of aircraft of the Bolivarian National Armed Forces into Colombian territory.
In this regard, Venezuela firmly asserts that there has been no air or land incursion of any kind, as well as any other act violating the national sovereignty of the brother country.
On the contrary, the Bolivarian National Armed Forces and the security forces of the Republic act within the national territory and maintain an effective presence in the Venezuelan border area, as an indispensable response to the need to contain the harmful consequences of violence and drug trafficking coming from Colombia, scourges that Venezuela has suffered persistently for decades and that have become a real threat to the internal order, stability and peace of the nation.
Precisely during the last few days in the border area, in Venezuelan territory, the Bolivarian National Armed Forces gave another blow by locating and dismantling a camp set up by Colombian drug trafficking groups, including the destruction of four laboratories for the processing of cocaine hydrochloride, whose inputs, instruments and raw materials come in their entirety from the neighboring country.
It does not seem coincidental at all that this false accusation by the Colombian authorities arises at the precise moment when the Bolivarian Government, exercising its full sovereignty, sets in motion the Economic Recovery, Growth and Prosperity Plan, whose success constitutes a lethal threat against the interests of the Colombian mafias of fuel smuggling, basic necessities, drug and arms trafficking, as well as against the structures of the groups that have dedicated themselves to attack from Colombian territory the financial and monetary system of Venezuela.
The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela reiterates that it will not cease its efforts to protect its population and expel from its territory the plague of Colombian violence and drug trafficking that haunts us day after day. The Bolivarian National Armed Forces comply with professionalism and rigor their tasks in the border area, in strict adherence to the provisions of the National Constitution and national and international laws.”
Caracas August 22, 2018
