Venezuela: 35 terrorists arrested on the border with Colombia
The detainees are accused of several crimes, including “terrorism, gathering criminals, arms trade and smuggling.”
Venezuelan Prosecutor General Tarek William Saab announced that the Venezuelan army "arrested 35 terrorists last weekend," in southwestern Venezuela, in a border area witnessing tension with Colombia.
Saab announced in a statement broadcast on state television, yesterday, Thursday, that "35 members of Colombian groups were arrested during four operations in the state of Apure," which borders Colombia.
He explained that the detainees are accused of several crimes, including “terrorism, gathering criminals, arms trade and smuggling.”
Bogota and the Venezuelan opposition and human rights organizations denounce the presence of FARC fighters and the National Liberation Army, accusing Caracas of "blindness or complicity," which the authority denies.
The commander of Venezuelan army operations, Domingo Hernandez Larrez, published several pictures on Twitter showing the military operations in Apure in recent days.
La FANB desactiva laboratorio de procesamiento de drogas en el estado Apure utilizado por los TANCOL para sus fines terroristas en su invasión silenciosa. pic.twitter.com/zEvDsUFPtZ
— GJ. Domingo Hernández Lárez (@dhernandezlarez) February 10, 2022
"All Colombian terrorist groups and drug traffickers, whoever they are called, will be expelled," he said in one of his letters.
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro confirmed last year that his government would combat all kinds of illegal armed groups coming from Colombia in Venezuelan territory during 2022.
The Venezuelan authorities have deployed special combat forces for the same goal.