In a significant blow to organized crime, the Bolivarian National Armed Forces (FANB) carried out successful anti-narcotics and anti-illegal mining operations in the Delta Amacuro and Amazonas states. The operations, directed by the military high command, resulted in the dismantling of infrastructure used for drug trafficking and illicit mineral extraction.
The Vice President for Defense, General Vladimir Padrino López, reported that the operation at the mouth of the Orinoco River, in Delta Amacuro, resulted in the disarming of artillerymen. The criminals’ goal was the «manufacture of submarines and boats to transport drugs by sea and reach Europe and North America”. Padrino López described the action as a «precise and very decisive blow» in the region.
On his accounts on social media, Minister Padrino López congratulated the FANB troops and emphasized that the nation’s destiny is to maintain a «homeland free of drug trafficking, free of drug cultivation, as we are of processing, trafficking, and consumption.» He reiterated that these operations are carried out daily throughout the national territory, by constitutional mandate, to combat criminal groups and drug traffickers.
In parallel, in Amazonas state, the Operational Commander of the FANB, General Domingo Hernández Lárez, reported the results of «Operation Bolivarian Shield Maroa 2025.» In the municipality of Atabapo, troops located, dismantled, and completely destroyed an illegal mining camp in the area known as Mina Vieja. During the raid on the camp, FANB units seized important supplies that supported the illicit activity. Among the items found were fuel (360 liters of gasoline in total), a 200cc enduro motorcycle, two stoves (one gas-powered and one gasoline-powered), various spare parts, and four liters of oil.
These coordinated operations reinforce the national government’s commitment to combating the scourges that threaten the nation’s sovereignty and security. These actions demonstrate a continued effort to dismantle the logistical operations of criminal groups in hard-to-reach areas, reaffirming the state’s presence in the country’s strategic regions.