Colombia Sends Armed Forces to Venezuela Border Amid Concern Over Refugee ‘Influx’

EPA

The Colombian president, Gustavo Petro, has called for an emergency session of the UN security council.

Colombia has mobilised its armed forces in the aftermath of U.S. strikes on neighbouring Venezuela. President Gustavo Petro said Colombia was concerned about refugees fleeing in the aftermath of the attacks.

President Petro posted on X that his government had held a national security meeting in which it was decided that forces should be sent to the border amid a potential “massive influx” of people leaving Venezuela.

He also called for an emergency session of the UN security council.

President Petro said: “The government of Colombia rejects the aggression against the sovereignty of Venezuela and of Latin America.”

U.S. President Donald Trump announced that the U.S. had “captured” the Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores, and had flown them out of the country after overnight airstrikes.

Explosions rocked the capital, Caracas, before dawn on Saturday, with the Venezuelan government claiming the US had launched a series of attacks on civilian and military targets.

Maduro’s vice-president, Delcy Rodriguez, told state-run television that the whereabouts of the president and his wife were unknown and asked President Trump for proof they were alive.

The Cuban president called the attacks on Venezuela “criminal” and called for a tough response from the international community.

Cuba has long had a fractious relationship with the U.S. stretching back to the cold war. It is now subject to an economic embargo by the United States. President Miguel Díaz-Canel said the U.S. was responsible for “state terrorism against the Venezuelan people”.

Russia and Iran also voiced their objections. The Russian foreign ministry said it was an “unacceptable violation of the sovereignty of an independent state”.

The neighbouring Guyanese government said it was monitoring the situation which was of “grave concern” to the wider region.

The president of Argentina, Javier Milei, an ally of President Trump, said: “Liberty advances! Long live liberty!”

Spain’s government has offered to mediate between the U.S. and Venezuela as its foreign ministry urged de-escalation and a respect for international law. In a statement, a spokesperson said: “Spain calls for de-escalation and moderation, and for action to be conducted in accordance with international law and the principles of the UN charter.

“In this regard, Spain is prepared to offer its good offices to achieve a peaceful and negotiated solution to the current crisis.”

The Italian foreign minister, Antonio Tajani, said Italy was watching developments as about 160,000 Italians live in Venezuela. Tajani said Italy’s prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, was being kept informed.

Meanwhile, the German foreign ministry said a crisis team was due to meet later on Saturday. A written communication seen by Reuters said Germany was in close contact with the embassy in Caracas.

The vice-president of the European Commission, Kaja Kallas, joined calls for restraint and respect for international law.

Kallas said she had spoken to the US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, and the EU’s ambassador to Venezuela. “The EU has repeatedly stated that Maduro lacks legitimacy and has defended a peaceful transition. Under all circumstances, the principles of international law and the UN Charter must be respected. We call for restraint,” she said.

Source: The Guardian



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