Neo-paramilitary groups extend influence along Venezuelan border

[Judi Lynn]

Neo-paramilitary groups extend influence along Venezuelan border
Monday, 23 January 2012 16:58
Charles Parkinson

Colombian paramilitary groups have extended their influence along the Venezuelan border, engaging in drug trafficking and forging links with local criminal gangs, reported El Espectador Monday.

Groups such as Los Urabeños and the Black Eagles, all previously part of the AUC paramilitary organization, have encroached into Venezuela, creating a "bi-national conflict," according to an official in the north east Venezuelan state of Tachira.

Director of Tachira State Police Jesus Berro described the situation as "a real ongoing slaughter," with 20 people killed in recent weeks.

"Terror is the method by which these groups try to silence people, threatening their lives if they do no cooperate," he said, before calling on the governments of Colombia and Venezuela to "establish arrangements to combat these activities."

More:
http://colombiareports.com/colombia-news/news/21706-paramilitary-groups-extend-influence-along-venezuelan-border.html

[nanabugg]

1. We would have had no better partner fighting the drug lords than Hugo but we were and continue to be

too stupid to make good choices about who should be our friend in S. America and across the world. We have picked some duzzies throughout our history.

[newfie11]

3. How VERY true n/t

[hack89]

4. According to the UN , Venezula is the major transhipment point of cocaine to Europe

after the cocaine producing countries of Colombia, Bolivia and Peru. Over 7 tons of cocaine from Venezuela was seized in Europe in 2009 alone.

http://www.unodc.org/documents/data-and-analysis/WDR2011/World_Drug_Report_2011_ebook.pdf

There was a huge spike in cocaine trafficking from Venezuela as Colombia pushed FARC out of it's usual territory - many drug gangs simply set up in Venezuela.

The US would like to work with Hugo - lets not forget that it was Hugo that stopped cooperating with DIA in 2005.

Hugo really needs to cooperate with Colombia but he refuses.

[newfie11]

2. Is America secretly involved with the Colombian paramilitary

Sounds like something we just might have done before in another country.

[hack89]

5. 13 high level AUC paramilitary leaders were extradicted to the US in 2008

which effectively crushed the AUC. Unfortunately the remnants degenerated into criminal gangs which the OP refers to. The same thing happened to the FARC - they are also operating in Venezuela as Colombia puts pressure on them.

What is needed here is cooperation between Colombia and Venezuela - their mutually hostile attitudes towards each other have created this dangerous no mans zone on the border.

[Vidar]

6. Funded by US tax dollars, no doubt.