Venezuela announced last night that it would deploy 15,000 security forces along its border with Colombia to step up its fight against drug trafficking amid US accusations that President Nicolas Maduro runs a drug cartel, Agence France-Presse reported, BTA reported.
Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello announced at a press conference that an "operational reinforcement" had begun with "the deployment of 15,000 men and women" in the states of Zulia and Táchira, which border Colombia.
"Here we are really fighting drug trafficking. Here we are really fighting drug gangs on all fronts" he said after announcing that 52.7 tons of drugs had been confiscated since the beginning of the year, representing between 70% and 80% of the total amount passing through Venezuela.
The United States has accused Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his government cronies, including Cabello, of leading the "Cartel de los Soles", which is included in the US list of terrorist organizations. Washington has offered $50 million and $25 million respectively in rewards leading to their capture.
Three US guided-missile destroyers are currently stationed in international waters off the coast of Venezuela, as Washington says it wants to carry out an operation against international drug trafficking.
"Why don't you deploy your fleet and aircraft here to fight the 87% of drugs that come from Colombia?", Cabello asked, pointing to Colombia's Pacific coast on a map. "They deploy them and worry about where the 5% is going to come from," he said.
Colombia is the world's leading producer of cocaine. In 2023, cocaine hydrochloride production reached a record 2,600 tons in Colombia – 53% more than a year earlier, the UN reported.
In the same year, coca leaf production increased by 10%, covering 253,000 hectares of illegal plantations, AFP noted.