Venezuelan Military Pushing Rebels into Colombia, Says Defense Minister

The Venezuelan military is reportedly pushing rebel groups into Colombia following a change in power, according to statements by Colombian Defense Minister Pedro Sánchez. Sánchez claimed that Venezuelan military operations are forcing rebels to move to the Colombian side of the border.

In an interview with Agence France-Presse, Pedro Sánchez stated that Colombian armed organizations "no longer feel safe" on Venezuelan territory. Venezuelan operations primarily target members of the ELN (National Liberation Army) and dissidents from the former FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia).

Colombia and Venezuela share a 2,200-kilometer border, where various armed groups vie for control of revenue from drug trafficking, illegal mining, and smuggling. Sánchez mentioned that Bogotá is coordinating with Caracas at a diplomatic level and with the United States at an intelligence-gathering level.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro recently met with his American counterpart, Donald Trump, where they agreed to intensify cooperation against illegal armed organizations and drug trafficking.