Skip to content
May 28, 2022
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • Reddit
  • Telegram
  • TikTok
  • LinkedIn
Orinoco Tribune – News and opinion pieces about Venezuela and beyond

Orinoco Tribune – News and opinion pieces about Venezuela and beyond

From Venezuela and made by Venezuelan Chavistas

Primary Menu
  • News
  • Opinion
  • About us
    • About us
    • Who we are – Becoming a Volunteer
    • Editorial guidelines for contributors
    • Our Sources
      • Venezuelan Sources
      • International Sources
    • Contact us
  • Categories
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Security and Defense
    • International
      • Africa
      • Asia
      • Europe
      • Oceania
      • US/Canada
    • Latin America and ALBA-TCP
      • South America
      • Central America and the Caribbean (+Mexico)
    • Ideology-Commune-Labor
    • Health-Education-Sport-Culture-Technology
    • Solidarity and Social Movements
    • OT Originals
  • Support Us
    • Tax Deductible Donations: AfGJ Fiscal Sponsorship Program
    • Patreon (recurrent donations)
    • PayPal and Credit Cards
Light/Dark Button
YouTube Channel
  • Home
  • News
  • ‘No pasarán!’ Report from Venezuela-Colombia border, where Bolivarians declare victory
  • News
  • Security and Defense

‘No pasarán!’ Report from Venezuela-Colombia border, where Bolivarians declare victory

February 28, 2019

Reporting from San Antonio, Táchira state, Venezuela

Yesterday, in San Antonio, Venezuela at the Simón Bolivar bridge between Colombia and Venezuela, Freddy Bernal, the Chief Protector of Táchira state, declared victory in thwarting the U.S. government’s latest plot against President Nicolás Maduro and the Bolivarian Revolution.

Bernal said to a cheering crowd of people, including youth, civilian militias, Bolivarian National Guard and FANB soldiers, “We are here to celebrate. Today is a national celebration and each man, each woman, each child should feel proud of what the people did in our Civic-Military Union. Because it was 15 hours of battle at the border and we had not one single loss of life…”

Freddy-Bernal-Diosdado-Cabello-Feb-24-800x530.jpg
Freddy Bernal and Diosdado near Simón Bolivar bridge day after fascists were defeated on Feb. 23. Photo: Gloria La Riva / Liberation

Trump and his officials had created an intense international campaign demanding that Venezuela accept U.S. “humanitarian aid” at key points along Venezuela’s border with Colombia and Brazil.

The Maduro government and pro-revolution masses emphatically reject the demand as interventionist and a Trojan horse operation. They demand instead the immediate lifting of the U.S. sanctions that are causing billions in economic losses to the country.

In days building up to its target date of Feb. 23, U.S. military planes flew in the material to Colombia and Brazil, while the U.S. Southern Command was engaging in military preparation operations in both countries as well as Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Colombia, Brazil and several Caribbean islands.

Washington planned two main points of entry with its “aid” into Venezuela at the Tienditas bridge near Ureña and the Simón Bolivar bridge in San Antonio, both at the Colombian border in Venezuela’s Táchira state.

To provide cover, the U.S. imperialists and right-wing Colombian president Ivan Duque staged a propaganda blitz that included a large music concert on Feb. 22 financed by billionaire Richard Branson in the Colombian border town of Cúcuta, facing the Tienditas bridge. The Bolivarian government also held a mass concert on this side.

Their plot was supposed to unfold on Saturday, Feb. 23 with Venezuelan right-wing elements coming to the border at Colombia to accept the U.S. food supplies, as one more proof that President Maduro must be ousted because people supposedly have no food.

Maduro and his officials made clear there would be no intervention into Venezuela and prepared the military and civilian militia defense.

On Saturday morning, the 23rd, I was at the Tienditas bridge with over 1,000 revolutionary Venezuelans, including hundreds of youth who were ready to protect the border.

 

Barricade-near-Tienditas-bridge-Feb-24-800x530.jpg
Chavista barricade near Tienditas bridge; Photo: Gloria La Riva / Liberation

Bernal marched with hundreds of people to a central point of the bridge, under heavy guard, as the people chanted, “No pasarán!” and “Chávez vive, la patria sigue.” Bernal is an extremely popular figure in the Bolivarian Revolution, who has been individually targeted by U.S. imperialism alongside other leaders including Maduro.

Bernal has been placed in charge of security in Táchira state as Chief Protector, where there is a strong right-wing and paramilitary presence, fueled by major contraband operations between Venezuela and Colombia.

Speaking to the crowd, he denounced a false-positive attack on the Colombian side that had taken place earlier in the morning to blame Venezuela: Two tractor trailers containing the U.S. supplies were firebombed and completely destroyed. Photos of the vehicle carrying the perpetrators suggested the attack came from the Colombian side.

Hundreds of Bolivarian National Guard (GNB) soldiers held forward positions at both entries several hundred yards away from the Tienditas bridge, preventing the fascists from coming near the bridge.

At both bridge sites, these gangs were launching Molotov cocktails and rocks at the civilians and the young GNB soldiers, who had to shield themselves because their orders are not to directly attack the enemy to prevent loss of life. Tear gas was used to repel them, and they kept returning in waves.

In San Antonio where the Simón Bolivar bridge is, there is a narrow road in the town leading to the border. Hundreds of pro-government people and civilian militias were surrounded front and back by the far-right gangs. But they held their ground.

It was 48 hours of guarding the bridge entries and 15 hours of intense struggle until the far-right and interventionists were finally defeated. Unfortunately, four GNB soldiers were burned by the Molotovs and more than 130 people were injured at the Simón Bolivar bridge site.

During the struggle at Tienditas, the GNB soldiers were repelling the opposition and protecting the masses of people in the distance. I was deeply moved by the spirit of the people defending their Bolivarian Revolution.

Fortunately, the fascists did not succeed in breaking through the GNB lines, but many men and women, young and old, were prepared and formed barricades and defense lines. Young men climbed trees to help the soldiers locate where the enemy was. Tear gas drifted in from the main battle lines, stinging everyone’s eyes but no one flinched.

At the end of the day the gangs in service of Trump and Guaidó were driven away. As the young Bolivarian National Guard soldiers marched back to our gathering, they were cheered and applauded. People ran to give them water to drink, their eyes blood red from the intense tear gas they had been enveloped in. They have been deployed for several days.

Women-at-Simon-Bolivar-bridge-Feb-24-800x530.jpg
Women at the celebration on Feb. 24 after the defeat of the fascists at the Simón Bolivar bridge, San Antonio, Venezuela. Photo: Gloria La Riva / Liberaiton

The danger of U.S. military intervention is growing, whether directly or through its proxies or both.

In fact, in an announcement no doubt directed by his masters in Washington, self-declared coup leader Juan Guaidó called today for “any means necessary” to oust Maduro. His words are seen by many as code for U.S. direct military action.

For now, the economic sanctions are intensifying, with the U.S. government imposing sanctions on several pro-Maduro governors in Venezuela today. At the Lima Group meeting in Bogotá, Vice-President Mike Pence called on all Lima Group governments “…to immediately freeze the assets of PDVSA. Secondly, transfer ownership of Venezuelan assets in your country from Maduro’s henchmen to President Guaidó’s government.”

 

Source URL: Liberation News

 

Feature image: Enrique Barroso, left, and José Barela were among dozens injured during the fascists’ attempt to reach Colombia at the Simón Bolivar bridge in San Antonio, Táchira state, Feb. 23. Photo: Gloria La Riva / Liberation

 

 

 

Want More?

Don't want to be a victim of the Algorithm?

SIGN UP TO RECEIVE OUR WEEKLY NEWSLETTER WITH ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT VENEZUELA

We don’t spam! Read our privacy policy for more info.

orinocotribune
Website | + posts
  • orinocotribune
    https://orinocotribune.com/author/orinocotribune/
    November 22, 2018
    International sabotage attempt against Plan Vuelta a Patria denounced
  • orinocotribune
    https://orinocotribune.com/author/orinocotribune/
    November 22, 2018
    Alí Rodríguez Araque dies
  • orinocotribune
    https://orinocotribune.com/author/orinocotribune/
    November 22, 2018
    López Obrador defends Nicolás Maduro during interview
  • orinocotribune
    https://orinocotribune.com/author/orinocotribune/
    November 22, 2018
    The black market Dollar misfortune of the Venezuelan economy
Tags: Chavismo Colombia cucuta military intervention Simon Bolivar Bridge Tienditas Bridge Urena US Imperialism

Share this:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)

Continue Reading

Previous Previous post:

Brazil Won’t Allow US to Use Its Territory to Invade Venezuela – Reports

Next Next post:

People worldwide stand with Bolivarian Venezuela

Tax deductible donations

One time donations

Recurrent donations

Calendar

May 2022
M T W T F S S
 1
2345678
9101112131415
16171819202122
23242526272829
3031  
« Apr    

NEWS: Most Viewed 72 Hours

Categories

Subscribe to Our Weekly Newsletter

We keep your data private and share your data only with third parties that make this service possible. Read our Privacy Policy.

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

OPINION: Most Viewed 72 hours

We are on Telegram


Receive our news directly in your cellphone or PC, join us on our TELEGRAM channel: https://t.me/OrinocoTribune1

Download TELEGRAM, click the link above and then press the JOIN button.

We are Copyleft not Copyright


Creative Commons License
All Orinoco Tribune's work is free to use and licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

We are on Reddit


If you are more into REDDIT, join our Orinoco Tribune Community.
Just click below and then click JOIN
https://www.reddit.com/r/OrinocoTribune/

 

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • Reddit
  • Telegram
  • TikTok
  • LinkedIn
Copyleft No rights reserved.

Orinoco Tribune needs your help on our 3 ½ year anniversary

Help us reach some small goals by the end of May

* We are currently at 25% on our annual goal. Help us reach at least 30%

*In Patreon we are below $600. Help us reach $660 (only 14 pledges of $5 each will take us there)

HELP US KEEP MAKING A DIFFERENCE PROVIDING GOOD QUALITY ALTERNATIVE INDEPENDENT NEWS FROM THE SOUTH

 

 

Loading Comments...
 

You must be logged in to post a comment.

    loading Cancel
    Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
    Email check failed, please try again
    Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.