Venezuela will help design a plan to consolidate peace in Colombia

The Bolivarian National Armed Forces (Fanb) reported this Saturday through an official statement to the Venezuelan people and the international community, that yesterday, Friday, January 24, the Minister for Defense, GJ. Vladímir Padrino López, held a working meeting with his counterpart from the Republic of Colombia, Dr. Iván Velásquez Gómez; in the city of San Cristóbal, Táchira state; in order to address the general border situation, and especially the complex problem that has been occurring for several days in the Catatumbo sector, Norte de Santander Department of the neighboring country, bordering Venezuela.

In the letter, they reiterate Venezuela’s willingness to collaborate, increasing the levels of communication and structuring a three-month plan to help Colombia build and consolidate its peace, based on the successful experiences that we have developed in our territory.

“It is necessary to remember that historically the Venezuelan State, rooted in its pacifist vocation, has only intervened in the armed conflict in Colombia as a mediator, at the request of its own government with the purpose of contributing to the search for solutions that put an end to violence, promoting dialogue between the parties, and respecting at all times the principle of self-determination of peoples and the norms of international law,” the statement states.

Below is the full text:

Official Statement from the Minister of Popular Power for Defense Vladímir Padrino López, on the occasion of a meeting with the Minister of Defense of the Republic of Colombia, Dr. Iván Velásquez Gómez; on the border situation presented

The Bolivarian National Armed Forces informs the Venezuelan people and the international community that yesterday, Friday, January 24, the Minister of Popular Power for Defense, GJ. Vladímir Padrino López, held a working meeting with the Minister of Defense of the Republic of Colombia, Dr. Iván Velásquez Gómez; in the city of San Cristóbal, Táchira state; in order to address the general border situation, and especially the complex problem that has been occurring for several days in the Catatumbo sector, Norte de Santander Department of the neighboring country, bordering Venezuela.

In the first instance, it is necessary to remember that historically the Venezuelan State, rooted in its pacifist vocation, has only intervened in the armed conflict in Colombia as a mediator, at the request of its own government with the purpose of contributing to the search for solutions that put an end to violence, promoting dialogue between the parties, and respecting at all times the principle of self-determination of peoples and the norms of international law. Within the framework of this philosophy, in the aforementioned meeting we have reiterated our complete willingness to collaborate, increasing the levels of communication and structuring a three-month plan to help Colombia build and consolidate its peace, based on the successful experiences we have developed in our territory.

It is essential to state with crystal clarity that Venezuela does not serve, nor will it ever serve, as a platform for armed groups outside the law, whatever their nature, ideology or nationality. It is worth highlighting the enormous efforts made by the Bolivarian Government in the fight against the different forms of criminal organization dedicated to drug trafficking, paramilitarism, illegal mining, smuggling and other transnational crimes. In this order, we must point out that we maintain a permanent deployment of military units throughout the national geographic space, including the Colombian-Venezuelan border axis, where we will not allow the actions of any type of armed group. Based on the above, we categorically reject the disinformation campaign orchestrated by characters with dark interests, who intend to involve us with any of the factions.

We also want to communicate that by virtue of the principles of solidarity and fraternity that characterize the Bolivarian Peace Diplomacy, we continue to provide humanitarian assistance to Colombian citizens, affected by the excesses of the clashes in the Catatumbo region, who have been forced to move to Venezuelan territory.

Finally, by instructions of citizen Nicolás Maduro Moros, Constitutional President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, our Commander in Chief, we will remain in constant communication with the Colombian authorities, ready to meet any requirement that contributes to the solution of the problem, ratifying the irreducible commitment with the peace of our sister Colombia.