Venezuela Proposes to Colombia to Jointly Investigate Paramilitary Activities

Venezuelan Attorney General Tarek William Saab. Photo: X/ @RioCrecido_ven

July 12, 2024 Hour: 8:46 am

Previously, Colombian paramilitaries admitted to having been contacted by the Venezuelan far-right to trigger terrorist acts.

On Thursday, Venezuelan Attorney General Tarek William Saab proposed to the Colombian Prosecutor’s Office a joint investigation into the relationship between Colombian paramilitaries and Venezuelan far-right groups interested in destabilizing the government of President Nicolas Maduro.

Saab held a virtual meeting with Colombian Attorney General Luz Adriana Camargo to establish mechanisms for international criminal cooperation for the exchange of information related to the paramilitary group called Self-Defense Conquistadors of the Sierra Nevada (ACSN).

Previously, in a video posted on social media, the Colombian paramilitaries admitted to having been contacted by the Venezuelan far-right to trigger terrorist acts before and after the presidential elections on July 28.

“In statements issued on July 4 and 6, the paramilitaries say that a sector of the Venezuelan far-right contacted them to use them as a shock front and destabilize the electoral process,” Attorney General Saab reiterated in an interview with Hinterlaces.

A Colombian paramilitary group, Autodefensa Conquistadoras de la Sierra, announced, in a video, that Venezuela's far-right reached out to them requesting they assassinate Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

The Colombian paramilitary group said #Venezuela's right-wing has asked… pic.twitter.com/fhSm0VkxdF
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) July 6, 2024

“If the electoral results are adverse, the Venezuelan far-right will not recognize them. That is why they contacted that paramilitary group,” he added, recalling the contents of the ACSN messages.

During the meeting with the Colombian Attorney General, Saab agreed to send mutual legal assistance. He also requested procedures such as “locating and identifying people, transferring detained persons to appear as witnesses, delivering documents, and any other form of assistance, as long as it is not incompatible with the Colombian laws.”

There is also a proposal for a Venezuelan prosecutor to travel to Colombia to gather information and create a joint investigation team, which will facilitate stable cooperation and coordination over time to conduct investigations in both countries.

Last week, President Maduro, who is one of the 10 candidates participating in the July 28 elections, asked Saab to investigate the operations of Colombian paramilitaries in Venezuelan territory.