[ad_1]
In a recent statement to the media in the neighboring country, Maduro stated that “it is the responsibility of the President of Colombia to request the return of this military equipment and if it were it would be returned immediately.”
For this reason, the Venezuelan president instructed the Minister of Popular Power for Defense, Vladimir Padrino López, “to be attentive to the request made by the Colombian government, respectively.”
This story began on the morning of last Saturday when the Bolivarian National Armed Force announced the “seizure” of three combat boats with their weapons that were, according to those authorities, in a state of abandonment in the Chorro El Mono sector, Orinoco River, Cedeño municipality of Bolívar state.
The three boats found by the Venezuelan troops are Boston Whaler Guardian type that serve as a heavy river combat element for the Colombian Marine Corps, in this case they carry out border control tasks in addition to international cooperation, humanitarian assistance, environmental protection and the Fight against illegal armed groups that commit crimes in that part of the country. Typically each of these vessels is loaded with a .50 caliber heavy machine gun and up to four M60 machine guns.
The authorities of the neighboring country dismantled the armament of the boats and published some photographs in which only four M60s and two .50s appear, boxes with ammunition of both calibers and life jackets, which apparently means that the three boats were with all their weapons installed.
The version of the National Navy
Regarding what happened and despite what Maduro said, the National Navy has been the only Colombian institution that has ruled on what happened and in a statement explained that, although the facts are investigated, it would have been a fortuitous event in which the strong current of the Meta river had a lot to do.
The Navy explained that the three boats were dragged when they were moored and unmanned on the river bank, in the Vichada department, on the Colombo-Venezuelan border.
“The sentinel in charge of the safety of the boats realizes that, due to the effects of the strong current, the boats are dragged by the river, without having the opportunity to recover them,” said the institution, adding that although there was a reaction from the From the Oriente Naval Force, little could be done because the boats were already on the Venezuelan side.
Admiral Evelio Ramírez Gáfaro, Colombian Army Commander, stated that there was always contact with the Venezuelan armed forces to coordinate the search and return of all the material. He added that the response was positive, although from the other side of the border they were waiting for instructions from the top management to proceed.
“Hopefully it will not be long before we can have these boats fulfilling the mission that is being carried out in the country through the Naval Force of the East. It must be said that relations at the border level develop and are carried on normally. This should not have any negative effect, “said the officer.
A pronouncement is then expected from the Government of Colombia regarding this event and the procedure it will take. It must be remembered that President Iván Duque does not recognize Nicolás Maduro as his Venezuelan counterpart, but rather the opposition Juan Guaidó.
[ad_2]
