Venezuela’s armed forces said they have demolished two Colombian drug camps inside its territory, stepping up anti-narcotics operations as U.S. warships patrol nearby Caribbean waters.
The military reported that the raids razed “two logistical camps used by invading TANCOL groups,” said General Domingo Hernández Lárez, head of the armed forces’ strategic command, on Telegram – using an acronym Caracas applies to what it calls armed narcotrafficking terrorists of Colombia.
Pamphlets from the Colombian National Liberation Army (ELN) guerrilla group were found in one of the camps, along with ammunition, all-terrain vehicles, tactical vests and fuel, the general said.
The ELN holds territory near the Venezuelan border that experts say serves as a major source of coca and a gateway to the Caribbean coast – where Colombian cocaine begins its journey to global markets.
Caracas has sought to highlight its anti-drug efforts amid a large U.S. military deployment nearby. Washington calls its Caribbean mission an anti-drug operation, but Venezuela fears it may serve as cover for action against President Nicolás Maduro.
The U.S. administration accuses Maduro of leading a drug cartel – a charge he denies – and has offered a $50 million reward for information leading to his capture. Maduro insists there is no drug cultivation in Venezuela; he says the country is being used as a trafficking route by Colombia.
Earlier this month, Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino announced the destruction of ELN camps and fighters aligned with the now-disarmed Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) guerrilla army.
