Through an official statement, the Bolivarian National Armed Forces (FANB) informed the Venezuelan people and the international community about the actions deployed in the state of Apure against Colombian armed irregular groups, within the framework of Operation “Bolivarian Shield 2021”.
The statement was read by the People’s Power Minister for Defense, General Vladimir Padrino López, in the company of the Chief of Staff of the FANB’s Strategic Operational Command, Remigio Ceballos, and the People’s Power Minister for Communication and Information, Freddy Ñáñez.
Here is the full statement:
As has been reported, since last Sunday, March 21, in the framework of the operation “Bolivarian Shield 2021”, the Strategic Operational Command of the Bolivarian National Armed Forces is executing actions against Colombian armed irregular groups in the Apure state. In this sense, the general balance so far shows six (06) neutralized terrorists, twenty-seven (27) suspects placed at the order of the 14th Military Control Court, another twelve (12) detained yesterday and the seizure of weapons, grenades , ammunition, explosives, military garments, vehicles, drugs and technological equipment with information related to their activities.
It is imperative to remind the international community that the aforementioned groups have the sponsorship of the Colombian government and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), which is why their incursions into the Venezuelan geographic space should be considered as an aggression sponsored by Iván Duque, since he provides logistical-financial support, creating a criminal corridor on the border with the advice of the Southern Command of the United States of North America; Meanwhile, it is not by chance that these events coincide with the recent creation of an Elite Special Actions Unit.
Counting on the aforementioned support, these criminal gangs are dedicated to drug trafficking, extortion, kidnapping, human trafficking, sexual exploitation of girls and adolescents, smuggling and illegal mining, among other crimes. In addition to the above, they harm the civilian population by attacking public institutions such as CORPOELEC, SENIAT and PDVSA, also using extremist methods of installing antipersonnel mines in the areas that they have tried to illegally occupy.
Such infamous criminals instill psychoterror in the inhabitants using the virtual platform of WhatsApp and other social networks, thus forcing mobilizations of defenseless people whom they cowardly use as a human shield to flee to Colombia, where they are not persecuted. This situation of violence that is affecting our neighboring states with the New Granada nation, is the result of the total abandonment of its borders for decades by the authorities of that country, which suffers an armed conflict, whose origin lies in social inequality, the injustice and the blind exercise of the power of a rancid oligarchy subordinated to imperial lines.
Given these circumstances, as established in the Magna Carta and following precise orders from citizen Nicolás Maduro Moros, Constitutional President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, our Commander-in-Chief; The Bolivarian National Armed Forces have conducted the necessary actions to eradicate the threats embodied by these criminal organizations that violate the well-being and good living of citizens. In this regard, we have proceeded in a surgical manner, with great precision, destroying temporary facilities of the irregular located outside of populated areas.
Consequently, we categorically reject the media manipulations of the Colombian government, which seeks to convey to us its manifest inability to solve its own problems. In the same way, we repudiate the biased information of some non-governmental organizations, as well as the politicization of such dire events.
At present, military units with the support of State security agencies continue to carry out intelligence, scrutiny and persecution. Accompaniment is also carried out to different entities of the national and regional Executive to ensure food, medical care, basic services, fuel supply and, especially, the tranquility of the inhabitants. It should be noted that the Public Ministry and the Ombudsman’s Office have been fully incorporated into these tasks in order to guarantee greater transparency and absolute respect for human rights.
We reiterate our unwavering disposition to expel from the national territory any group outside the law and we express unconditional solidarity to the Venezuelan people, with the irreducible commitment to ensure their peace, freedom, sovereignty and independence.
Chávez lives … The Homeland continues!
Independence and Socialist Homeland … We will live and win!
Independence or nothing!
Always loyal … Never traitors!
The Sun of Venezuela is born in the Essequibo!
Caracas, March 27, 2021
VLADIMIR PADRINO LÓPEZ
General in Chief