Irregular groups ambushed troops of the Bolivarian National Guard (GNB) on Sunday in Amazonas state, and during the clash three military officers were killed and another 10 were injured, said the Minister for Defense, Vladimir Padrino López.
From his Twitter account, Padrino López denounced that this act was perpetrated as a reprisal after “the capture of nine Colombian paramilitaries who were seized weapons of war and consequently were placed under the order of the Public Ministry”, explained the minister.
“Today, our Bolivarian National Armed Forces have been cowardly attacked by these violent groups causing the unfortunate death of three GNB troops and a dozen wounded, including two officers. This infamous act arises as a reprisal after the capture of nine Colombian paramilitaries to whom were seized weapons of war, and who consequently were placed under the order of the Public Prosecutor”, wrote Padrino López.
The head of the Defense office said that the acts occurred during the traditional safeguard and patrol on the Colombian-Venezuelan border and after receiving intelligence about the presence of irregular groups in the area.
He pointed out that instructions have been issued to the Operational Strategic Command of the Bolivarian National Armed Forces (CEOFANB) to continue making efforts to expel all the armed groups that intend to operate in the country, and thus guarantee the peace of the Republic.
“Venezuela is the victim of more than 60 years of war in Colombia, a country that has not managed to guarantee peace in its territory. We sympathize with the families of our soldiers who fulfilled in the field of honor, their sacrifice revives our fighting spirit. There will be justice”, said Padrino López.
In other messages spread on the social network, the commander of thethe CEOFANB, Remigio Ceballos, for his part reaffirmed that the FANB will maintain its permanent fight against any armed group that may try to disturb the peace of the Republic.
“The operations of the FANB implemented throughout the Territorial Defensive System by CEOFANB will continue throughout the national territory on a permanent basis, through cooperation in the maintenance of internal order”, he said.
He also explained that the Strategic Integral Defense Regions, in their respective Operating Zones for Integral Defense, maintain close coordination “to dismantle and put at the order of the Venezuelan justice any violent group in our territory”, he remarked.
“The cross-border crime committed by criminals from Colombia is fought and will continue to be fought with force by the FANB and all the Venezuelan State security agencies until they are completely eradicated under any risk and in accordance with the law,” he reiterated.
