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“Inexplicable”. This is how the representative of the Vichada Óscar Camilo Arango described what happened to three armed artillery boats that were located in a Fluvial Control Post moored on the bank of the Meta river, in the department of Vichada, but that in the early hours of Saturday resulted in Venezuela.
(In context: Navy does not rule out any hypothesis for boats that are in Venezuela)
According to a statement from the National Navy, and according to a preliminary version, the event occurred “when the sentinel in charge of the safety of the boats realizes that, due to the effects of the strong current, the boats are being dragged by the river, without have a chance to get them back. In this situation, the displacement of Units of the Eastern Naval Force of the Colombian Navy was ordered for the recovery of the boats ”.
Facing this issue, the representative Arango, who on several occasions had warned of problems in the exercise of sovereignty in this area, pointed out that, in addition to that, it is verified that “the Bolivarian Guard of Venezuela patrol the Orinoco river 24 hours a day and us with office hours ”.
(It may interest you: Armed version of artillery boats that ended in Venezuela)
How does one explain that the National Navy is leaving three boats with weapons?
I have a family in the Armed Forces. The first thing they teach you at school is to take care of your weapons. It’s that weapons are like his girlfriend, it’s like taking care of his wife. How are three boats going to leave with all the weapons and ammunition. And the most serious thing of all is that they come to Venezuela where we have always criticized that government and at the moment make the President ridiculous, the Minister of Defense ridiculous, for the incompetence of an officer.
They are not boy scouts. Where is the institutionality, where is the honor. It is that elements of combat with the Colombian flag left, with the emblems of the Navy.
What could be the cause of this situation?
This is the total demoralization of the forces there, because there is an incompetent officer such as César Pineda (director of the Navy in Vichada), who all he does is be in his locked office. He doesn’t even attend meetings, there is no oversight of our sovereignty. In addition to that, it is verified that the Bolivarian Guard patrol the Orinoco River 24 hours a day and we with office hours.
Is Colombia not guarding its border with Venezuela in Vichada?
Of course, I filed a letter addressed to Minister Carlos Holmes Trujillo in which I told him that, in Vichada, there is no sovereignty work being done on the border. Ships and speedboats are not active 24 hours. It is not working, brother, all the complaints that there are against the Navy in Vichada. It is the responsibility of the Navy to ensure the safety of the rivers. They are the ones who have to be on patrol.
We are faced with the mockery of a country such as Venezuela that has our elements, our weapons
There how is the Colombian government facing Venezuela?
We are faced with the mockery of a country like Venezuela that has our elements, our weapons. It is as if an Air Force pilot leaves his helicopter on and leaves and leaves. It puts our national security at risk. Imagine where that weaponry would have fallen into the hands of the Eln. Very serious.
Have you thought about a political control debate on the subject?
Tomorrow I am going to file a request for a debate on political control, in the House Plenary, with the Defense Minister and against Admiral César Pineda, so that he can tell us what happened.
(Further: ‘It is up to Duque to request the return of the boats’: Maduro)
POLITICS
