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VENEZUELA - Venezuela Acknowledges Bombing of Border Paths

* VENEZUELA

Venezuela Acknowledges Bombing of Border Paths
A second division infantry commander says it was a matter of national sovereignty. Vice President Carrizales turns on the heat

Division General Eusebio Aguero, a second division infantry commander, confirmed at a press conference the bombing of two communication avenues beween Venezuela and Colombia. Aguero referred to both structures as walkways, not as bridges, which were not outlined in international agreements, through which narco-trafficking, paramilitaries and gas contraband flowed. The commander said that it was a sovereign decision of Venezuela and did not rule out the bombing of similar constructions. At mid-day, Colombia complained that Venezuelan army officials blew up two bridges connecting the municipality of Rafael Urdaneta, in the state of Tachira, and the population of Ragonvalia, in the department of North Santander. The Colombian embassy in Caracas will not make any statement, diplomatic sources told PODER. Any complaint will be made through the Colombian chancellery through multilateral organisms. Bogota has preferred not to stir up the pot, further. The Venezuelan government, meanwhile, has opted to heat up the controversy after acknowledging the bombing of the two rudimentary bridges. "The international complaint Colombia is preparing against Venezuela is a provocation and a manipulation of its authority," Vice President Ramon Carrizales said, who also, once again, criticized the military cooperation agreement between the neighboring nation and the U.S. "They have a yankee military base and are trying to hide that reality: that they gave up their country's sovereignty and that that threatens the territorial integrity of all Latin American nations," he said.
Nov-19-2009 05:11pm