Murders and arbitrary detentions denounced after FARC arrival in Colombia-Venezuela border

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The situation between dissidents of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and the Venezuelan Armed Forces in Apure state, bordering Colombia, continues to worsen. Inhabitants of the area report armed confrontations, raids, abuses, deaths of innocent people and arbitrary detentions.

These are the main denunciations of NGO reports on the conflict in Apure state, as well as the displacement of Venezuelans to Colombia. There is no official report by the regime of Nicolás Maduro.

The Special Action Forces of the Bolivarian National Police (FAES) claim to have shot down a group of alleged dissidents of the Colombian guerrilla FARC, in the sector of El Ripial, in Apure state.

According to the police report, which does not detail the number of dead, in the operation they seized firearms, grenades, explosives, military uniforms and FARC insignia.

On Thursday afternoon, Venezuelan journalist Román Camacho reported that there was a confrontation between both sides in the area of La Victoria. But with the presence, besides the FAES, of a component of the GNB, which was sent as reinforcement.

Read: Colombian armed conflict spills over and infiltrates Venezuela

A little more than an hour later, he published an update in which he stated that the FARC dissidents had retreated into Colombian territory. In addition, it detailed that no casualties were reported on the Venezuelan side and that shots were heard sporadically.

The confrontation was also denounced by the director of the NGO Fundaredes, Javier Tarazona.

Denunciations byf relatives

On the other hand, relatives of the victims denounced a massacre. Journalist Albert Castillo gave an account on Facebook of the massacre of a family of five members in the neighborhood 5 de Julio de la Victoria. “They were presented as guerrillas. What a farce (…) These three people were killed today in their home. It was no combat. And they put the gun next to them and there are army reports ironed in passing and without blood”, affirmed the communicator.

Fabiola Alvarez, a relative of the victims, denounced the fact and said that it was “a massacre. It was a false positive. They were never guerrillas. I want this to stop, I want justice and respect for human rights”, she said.

Meanwhile, the number of Venezuelans displaced to Colombia by the armed confrontation has risen to 4,000. Last Tuesday José Miguel Vivanco, director of the Americas division of Human Rights Watch, reported more than 3,000 displaced since the conflict began on Sunday, March 21.

“Displaced people are beginning to arrive in other parts of Colombia, such as Saravena, Aldeas de Arauquita and Arauca itself. There they protect their integrity in the midst of the armed conflict unleashed in Apure”, said Tarazona.

Raids and arrests

The raids and arbitrary detentions were also warned by the Foundation for the Rights of the Llanos which reported on raids in the area of El Ripial, as well as arbitrary detentions and looting of small businesses in the town of La Victoria, according to local media El Nacional.

A report of the AP news agency includes denunciations of inhabitants of Apure who moved to Colombia due to mistreatment by the same Venezuelan military.

The Colombian Foreign Ministry expressed its “concern for the serious humanitarian effects on the civil society in the state of Apure, caused by armed confrontations taking place in that region bordering the Colombian department of Arauca”.

Read: Border battles – two Venezuelan military killed and 32 insurgents from Colombian groups arrested

The Venezuelan Foreign Ministry rejected the comments of the Colombian Foreign Ministry and pointed out that “it is a fact” that they have abandoned the borders “granting a more than tacit consent to the actions of various criminal groups operating in the area”.

“The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela will effectively guarantee peace within the national territory. And ratifies that any attempt to violate the integrity of Venezuela, conventional or covert, by any armed action, be it regular or irregular, will have a forceful reaction”. This was added in the communiqué.

Fundaredes

The NGO Fundaredes has warned in its reports that the irregular situation was already occurring in the country. “Venezuela has become over the years a sanctuary for the actions of guerrilla groups of Colombian origin. Also Venezuelan guerrillas and criminal gangs with high firepower. They act under the complicity of the State security forces. And under the auspices of the established political power in the country”.

They also established that nine fronts of FARC dissidents and 10 of the ELN operate in 20 Venezuelan states, according to local media El Nacional.

Since the conflict began in Apure state last weekend, the FANB confirmed the death of two soldiers in the fighting. As well as the “neutralization” of a person known by the alias of “El Nando”, head of the irregular Colombian group.

Source: Infobae