Putschists and smugglers work hand in glove in Venezuela, but the governor of one western border state isn’t taking their crimes lying down. Here’s what he had to say on the latest incident in Táchira:
The governor of Táchira state, José Gregorio Vielma Mora, informed on Wednesday of the capture of six suspected paramilitaries in the La Popa sector of Ayacucho municipality. The capture was executed by the Venezuelan army.
Vielma Mora stated that the subjects were arrested as part of Operation Secure Border, and that they had four rifles in their possession, as well as fragmentation grenades, two pistols, and bulletproof vests. “There were no deaths,” he added.
“These paramilitaries were highly dangerous, for which reason they were transferred to the Military Processing Centre in Caracas. We are thoroughly searching the terrain of said groups,” Vielma Mora said.
He reiterated that the government is working to protect the border region: “We are intensifying operations day and night to minimize smuggling and combat crime. Yesterday, gasoline-smugglers from the Colombian side were firing at the Venezuelan side, there were no injuries or deaths because the border was closed.”
Vielma Mora added that there was also an attempt to close the border yesterday in Boca de Grita, García de Hevia, due to the fact that “smuggling of gasoline and foods is worsening, [so] we are going to go on intensifying these operations.”
“We also found three cellars full of foods which were being destined for the neighboring country [Colombia]. We are determined to reduce that to its minimal expression, and smuggling of foods, gasoline, energy and more, toward our sister republic, Colombia,” Vielma Mora said.
Seven paratroop, marine and special-unit infantry battalions are stationed in the municipalities of Pedro María Ureña, Bolívar, Junín, Ayacucho, García de Hevia, and Panamericano, he explained.
Vielma Mora added that in the 18 months of his government, there have been no kidnappings in Táchira, “we have been impeccable against kidnappers, criminal bands, and paramilitaries.”
Translation mine.
And meanwhile, the opposition is eternally kvetching about oil going to Cuba and locals not being able to find this, that or the other foodstuff in Venezuela. Gee, maybe all this would be less of a problem if their own weren’t stealing shit and diverting it into Colombia in exchange for terrorist paramilitaries to help them bring down the duly elected government, eh?
