Venezuelan Officers Who Fled To Colombia Are 'Adrift' As Maduro Holds Onto Power

[Judi Lynn]

July 22, 20191:01 PM ET

Jesús Parra spent four years as a police officer in the Venezuelan capital of Caracas. He patrolled the streets, provided security at events and even guarded political prisoners. Now, he parks cars at a funeral home for spare change in the Colombian city of Cúcuta.

This is not what Parra, 27, had in mind when he deserted the police force and sneaked across the Colombian border in March.

He made his move after Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó declared himself the country's interim leader and called for the ouster of authoritarian President Nicolás Maduro. At the time, Parra said, it seemed like Maduro was teetering. Parra thought he and other defectors would receive military training, then return to Venezuela for the final push to bring down Maduro.

"But that didn't happen," he said in a recent interview. "We were left adrift."

. . .

Some of the troops sell gum and other candy on the streets. One army colonel now carries a billy club and works 12-hour shifts as a bouncer and security guard at a Cúcuta casino.

More:
https://www.npr.org/2019/07/16/742275893/venezuelan-officers-who-fled-to-colombia-are-adrift-as-maduro-holds-onto-power?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=world