Venezuelas Maduro removed from power by US intervention

Colombia Prepares for Potential Spillover from Venezuela Crisis

A recent development in Venezuela has triggered concerns among Colombian authorities, who are taking steps to fortify their eastern border and prepare for potential repercussions. The United States military’s actions on Saturday morning, which included strikes on Venezuelan military targets and the capture of President Nicolas Maduro, have been condemned by the Colombian government.

President Gustavo Petro announced an emergency national security meeting in response to the situation, stating that the government condemns the attack on Venezuela’s sovereignty. The National Liberation Army (ELN), a left-wing rebel group operating along the border with Venezuela, has been identified as a potential threat to Colombia’s security.

Security analysts warn that the ELN may consider retaliation against Western targets, including in Colombia. The group is heavily involved in cocaine trafficking and operates on both sides of the border, having benefited from ties with the Maduro government. US intervention threatens the group’s transnational operations, according to experts.

In anticipation of possible retaliatory action by the ELN, the Colombian government has activated its security forces and deployed humanitarian resources along the eastern border. The country has received nearly 3 million Venezuelan refugees, with many more expected to arrive in the wake of the crisis.

Colombia’s Ministry of Defence has issued a statement assuring that all necessary measures are being taken to protect the population and prevent any attempted terrorist action by transnational criminal organisations. The government is also bolstering its humanitarian provisions, having lost 70 percent of its humanitarian funds after the Trump administration shuttered its USAID programmes in the country last year.

The Colombian government’s response to the crisis highlights the potential risks and challenges that the country may face in the coming days and weeks.

Source: Al Jazeera