The Bolivarian National Armed Forces (FANB) mobilized troops in the state of Apure after the guerrilla of the National Liberation Army (ELN) kidnapped Second Lieutenant María Camila Pantoja in the Colombian department of Arauca.
Through a statement released on Instagram, the FANB’s Strategic Operational Command (Ceofanb) reported that the patrols are advancing through the “complex river and forest geography” of the plains entity to dismantle logistical camps and clandestine runways.
The military organization indicated that it is carrying out an offensive against extortion, drug trafficking and extraction smuggling in the area. However, the report omitted any direct reference to the kidnapping carried out by the Colombian guerrilla.
Bilateral cooperation on the border
The mobilization occurs hours after the Venezuelan Executive expressed willingness to collaborate with Bogotá on border security. The response arose after a request from the Minister of Defense of Colombia, Jorge Eduardo Mora, who asked the United States to mediate with Caracas to support the search for the uniformed woman.
In a statement published on social networks, the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry assured that it makes available “the cooperation mechanisms, institutional channels and existing bilateral contacts to facilitate the exchange of information and the coordination of the actions that are necessary.”
Like the military high command, the diplomatic office avoided mentioning the ELNan irregular group that also operates in Venezuelan territory.
Minister Mora told journalists from a military fort that the Colombian authorities are maintaining active intelligence and tracking efforts. The official expressed his expectation that the political process in Venezuela will facilitate greater binational articulation, not only to rescue the officer, but also to contain the action of illegal armed structures on the border line.
The kidnapping in Saravena
The Eastern War Front of the ELN confirmed on November 5 that it maintains Second Lieutenant Pantoja in its power. The insurgent declaration occurred after the Eighteenth Brigade of the National Army reported the disappearance of the soldier in the municipality of Saravena, in Arauca.
The military report indicates that two armed men aboard a motorcycle intercepted the officer while she was traveling through the urban area of that town.
The department of Arauca, adjacent to the state of Apure, constitutes one of the most critical epicenters of the Colombian armed conflict due to the historical presence of the ELN and its strategic value as a corridor for illicit trafficking.
