The Venezuelan Defense Minister, Vladimir Padrino López, held a working meeting with the Colombian Defense Minister, Iván Velásquez Gómez on Friday in the city of San Cristóbal, state of Táchira, with regard to the general border situation Catatumbo, Department Norte de Santander, bordering on Venezuela.

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According to the statement from the National Bolivarian Armed Forces (FANB), Venezuela reiterated its full willingness to cooperate, with an increase in communication levels and the proposal of a three-month plan to help Colombia build and consolidate its peace, based on previous successful experiences.

“Venezuela does not serve, nor will it ever serve, as a platform for armed groups outside the law, regardless of their nature, ideology, or nationality. It is worth highlighting the tremendous efforts made by the Bolivarian Government in the fight against the various forms of criminal organization dedicated to drug trafficking, paramilitarism, illegal mining, smuggling, and other transnational crimes,” the official text states.

The FANB maintains a permanent deployment of military units throughout the national geographic space, including the Colombian-Venezuelan border axis, in order to prevent the actions of armed groups. Meanwhile, it rejects “the disinformation campaign orchestrated by individuals with dark interests,” who attempt to involve Venezuelan troops with these factions.

In line with the principles of solidarity and fraternity of the Bolivarian Peace Diplomacy, Venezuela continues to provide humanitarian aid to over 40,000 displaced Colombian citizens due to clashes in the Catatumbo region, according to the statement.

Likewise, the FANB will maintain (under instructions from its Commander-in-Chief and constitutional President of the Republic, Nicolás Maduro Moros) constant communication with Colombian authorities, with a view to any requirements that contribute to solving the conflict, a fact that underscores the Bolivarian commitment to peace in Colombia.

In order to provide humanitarian assistance to those fleeing violence, the Bolivarian government established a humanitarian corridor on the border with Colombia, in the municipality of Jesús María Semprún, state of Zulia, located on the border with Catatumbo and Tibú in Venezuela.

Catatumbo represents one of the Colombian regions that has historically been marked by clashes between armed groups. Since January 16, its inhabitants have experienced a resurgence of confrontations between the guerrillas of the National Liberation Army (ELN) and the Front 33 of the dissidents of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).

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