The President of the Republic, Nicolás Maduro, cataloged this Monday the Lightning Operation of Catatumbo 2025 as successful.
During transmission number 70 of his program with Maduro +, the Head of State highlighted the work of all military personnel in the country who have dedicated themselves to guaranteeing the peace and territorial defense of Venezuela.
“The Colombian State has to assume its responsibility, to have a presence and protect the people, exercise their sovereignty and control their part of the border,” he said.
In this regard, the Sectorial Vice President of Defense and Sovereignty, G/J Vladimir Padrino López, explained that for more than 3 years of the beginning of the Catatumbo Lightning operation, it has yielded different data, which highlight the following results:
- More than 100 tons of drug seized.
- The destruction of more than 27 drugs and drug laboratories.
- More than 3 clandestine clues.
Padrino López said that Venezuela is a drug -free territory, armed groups and free of coca crops. “The area on the other side of the border in Colombia is of high coca culture, there are approximately 50 thousand hectares cultivated,” he said.
On the other hand, the Minister for Defense also stated that since the beginning of the armed conflict in Colombia, more than 2 thousand displaced people fleeing violence to Venezuela has been treated.
For his part, the Operational Strategic Commander of the Bolivarian National Armed Forces (CEOFANB), G/J Domingo Hernández Lárez indicated that the FANB is deployed on the border with Colombia to protect the peace and sovereignty of Venezuela.
Binational Zone of Joint Development
During the Digital Zone section, Maduro lamented that his alternative binational economic development proposal, to replace the 50 thousand hectares used in Colombia for drug cultivation, has fallen into deaf ears.
“The proposal has not had a response from Colombia. I have proposed one and 100 times to make a large binational zone of joint development in the north of Santander, Táchira and part of the Zulia, so that other things, legal jobs, healthy, but has fallen into the air, ”said the president, The state channel refers.
He recalled that his Colombian couple, Gustavo Petro, has said that Colombia does not occupy or protect its border with Venezuela. “That is a problem to solve by Colombia,” he said.
“For our part, Venezuela has fulfilled and about the presence of our glorious fanb … Why do I say this? Because we have made efforts to coordinate the fight against criminal groups without getting into the wars of Colombia. Colombia has to solve it, it’s them! ”
In this regard, he said that Venezuela fulfills its duty to protect the two thousand 200 kilometers of common border, and greeted the armed and security forces of Colombia, who expressed the Bolivarian greeting and love in Father Libertador, Simón Bolívar, to make a border space of stability, security and peace come true.
For his part, Minister Padrino López confirmed that recent coordinations have been carried out and the level of communication between the military authorities of both countries, and considered the receptivity shown by Colombia. “There is trust, but not to do joint operations, but coordinated actions and each in their jurisdiction,” said President Maduro.
