At least 80 combatants armed with assault rifles and explosives passed through the Venezuelan border states of Táchira and Zulia before attacking a rival armed group and its suspected civilian supporters, according to a leaked military intelligence report.
Rebels passed through Venezuela en route to Colombia before deadly attack, report reveals Leaked report raises likelihood that Venezuelan government green-lit attack that killed more than 80.
Diplomatic tensions between the two neighbouring countries are likely to worsen because of the likelihood that the Venezuelan government of Nicolás Maduro either green-lit the operation or played an active role in planning the assault, analysts said.
Tensions are growing between Bogotá and Caracas after it emerged that rebels responsible for one of Colombia’s worst episodes of violence in recent years travelled through Venezuelan territory before launching the bloody wave of attacks.
“We do not have hard evidence, but it’s difficult to believe it’s a coincidence that the conflict erupted [when it did] due to the timing with the Maduro and Trump inaugurations,” said Bram Ebus, an analyst at the International Crisis Group.
