Maduro Thanks Petro for Increased Security in Catatumbo Region
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro expressed gratitude to Colombian counterpart Gustavo Petro on Thursday for enhancing security in the Catatumbo region by deploying 25,000 military personnel to combat narcoterrorism along the Colombia-Venezuela border, reports 24brussels.
During a graduation ceremony for the Second Course of Revolutionary Special Operations (COER) in the Macarao parish of Caracas, President Maduro emphasized, “I want to thank the president of Colombia, with whom we share one flag — yellow, blue, and red — for reinforcing the entire Colombian Catatumbo area.”
Maduro stated, “Venezuela and Colombia united for peace because we ourselves care for, monitor, and preserve our lands.” He further instructed Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López to engage in dialogue with Colombian Defense Minister Pedro Sánchez Suárez to continue coordinating efforts for Binational Peace Zone No. 1.
Additionally, Maduro directed COER graduates to deploy to the state of Táchira, applying their training to clear Venezuelan territory from Táchira to La Guajira in a bid to consolidate sovereignty and peace in the region.
In aligning with the government’s policies, President Gustavo Petro called for the “militarization of the Catatumbo border to maximize the reduction of mafia forces,” highlighting the collaborative effort between the two nations.
