Minister Padrino López: FANB has seized more than 100 tons of illegal substances in Catatumbo

Published at: 10/02/2025 08:39 PM

The Sectorial Vice President of Defense and Sovereignty, G/J Vladimir Padrino López, confirmed that Operation Lightning of Catatumbo began with the care of the displaced from Colombia and to date more than 2,000 people have been treated comprehensively.

“We are still in Venezuelan Guajira, with a military presence,” he said in the broadcast of the first broadcast of 2025, of the program “With Maduro +”, number 70, in its fourth phase, conducted by the President of the Republic, Nicolás Maduro.

He also assured that Venezuela is a territory free of drugs, armed groups and free of coca crops.

He reiterated that with the above-mentioned Operation, more than 27 drug camps, dormitories, training, chemical laboratories, construction of submarines, construction of weapons and more than 70 clandestine runways have been dismantled, since 2022.

“Since 2022, we have seized more than 100 tons of illegal substances in this sector of Catatumbo,” he said.

Padrino commented that the area on the other side of the border in Colombia is high in coca cultivation, and there are approximately 50,000 hectares cultivated.

For his part, the commander of the CEOFANB, G/J Domingo Hernández Lárez, indicated that the National Armed Forces are deployed on the border with Colombia to protect the peace and sovereignty of Venezuela.

Mazo News Team