Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López at a press conference in Caracas, February 11, 2022. Photo: AFP.
The Venezuelan government is trying to “immediately” reactivate military relations with its neighboring country, Colombia. These relations include cooperation in humanitarian affairs and combat against narcotrafficking and paramilitary activities.
This was announced by the Venezuelan Minister of Defense Vladimir Padrino López, who added that his department has received “instructions from the Commander-in-Chief of the FANB [Bolivarian National Armed Force] Nicolás Maduro, to establish immediate contact with the minister of defense of Colombia to restore our military relations.”
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"He recibido instruciones del CJ FANB @Nicolasmaduro, de establecer contacto de inmediato con el Min Defensa de Colombia para restablecer nuestras relaciones militares", expresó el GJ @vladimirpadrino. pic.twitter.com/vQvm25ro52
— Prensa FANB (@PrensaFANB) August 9, 2022
On Sunday, August 7, President Maduro had invited the newly inaugurated Colombian President Gustavo Petro to work towards rebuilding the brotherly relations between the two neighboring countries. “I extend my hand to the people of Colombia and to President Gustavo Petro to rebuild the brotherhood based on respect and love between our peoples,” Maduro had said in a video recorded from his residence in Caracas and published on his social media accounts on the day that Petro took charge of the presidency of Colombia.
Similarly, Gustavo Petro, the first leftist president of Colombia, has promised to reactivate ties with Venezuela, a move that will bring about significant changes for both countries.
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The ties between Caracas and Bogotá were broken in February 2019, after the previous government of Colombia, headed by Iván Duque, announced its recognize the opposition leader and former deputy Juan Guaidó as “interim president” of Venezuela and tried to invade Venezuela under the guise of sending “humanitarian aid.”
Throughout Duque’s presidency, Venezuela has denounced several failed selective assassination plans, terrorist attacks and coup attempts launched from Colombian soil. Incursions and terrorist attacks in Venezuela by Colombia-based paramilitary and narcotrafficking gangs also increased manifold during the last four years.
(HispanTV) with Orinoco Tribune content
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
OT/FV/SC
