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[chadskin]

Update: Venezuela to withdraw troops after Colombia border crossing

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Venezuela is now occupying Colombian territory, officials confirmed, following the arrival of soldiers that crossed the border to the department of Arauca and set up camp.

The 60 Venezuelan soldiers entered the eastern region of Colombia and raised the country's flag while settling in Bocas de Juju, which is part of the Arauquita municipality.

Local representative Lady Gelvez confirmed the event, saying that Venezuelan military arrived there around noon on Tuesday, March 21 arguing that it was part of their country's territory.

”The situation began the day before yesterday, the Venezuelan government has invaded some areas in the Colombian territory where there are banana crops and they have settled there," one resident said, ”The owners of these crops say that there are about a hundred men who walk around there and do not allow discussions with the population. They only want to address Colombian armed forces."

This is not the first time Venezuelan officials have entered Colombian territory. A few weeks ago, they entered the northeastern department of Santander, which caused tensions between the two countries.

Currently, relations between the two countries are still struggling with those tension. President Nicolás Maduro decided to close the border between the two countries, several times accusing Colombians of committing crimes there.

https://panampost.com/julian-villab...p-in-colombia-violating-countrys-sovereignty/

 

[Drencrom]

Isn't this basically a declaration of war...?

 

[gutter_trash]

Why doesn't Venezuela plant their own banana fields?

It's one of the most ecologically diverse nations on Earth

 

[Chaos2Frozen]

I'm no expert, but if you openly send soldiers uninvited into another country to hold territories, isn't that called an invasion?

 

[emag]

Wowza. Any idea how severe the consequences of this action will be in the short term? What's the sentiment among Columbians?

 

[uncredited male]

Maduro is a nutter.

 

[Karkador]

The bananas will hold a referendum next week to decide whether they want to be annexed into Venezuela

 

[jayu26]

Is this a banana field or a "banana" field? I don't fully understand the reasons for doing this.

 

[TangoAlphaLima]

Ghost Recon got it wrong. The real threat isn't a Narco-State, it's a Banana Republic.

 

[Violet_0]

Venezuela is rapidly falling apart

 

[gutter_trash]

Is this a banana field or a "banana" field? I don't fully understand the reasons for doing this.

Maduro the bus driver knows nothing about planting bananas

 

[Matt]

Isn't this basically a declaration of war...?

Under any definition, this is an act of war, and Colombia would be well within their international legal rights to respond with deadly force to repel the invasion.

Hopefully though cooler heads will prevail.

 

[tearsintherain]

Maybe they just wanted some bananas

 

[Deleted member 80556]

Maduro is a fucking sociopath, Jesus Christ. He's doing this for us to answer with force, just so he can brand us as Venezuela's enemy and distract his people of his atrocious abilities at being a president. Thankfully, President Santos is probably the right guy to handle this with soft force, rather than just sending soldiers to kill.

But hey, thanks for fucking igniting the wrath of the extreme right here, Maduro, really helping with that leftist Bolivarian revolution.

 

[Smiles and Cries]

I'm no expert, but if you openly send soldiers uninvited into another country to hold territories, isn't that called an invasion?

some countries have no real way to defend themselves from invasion I guess

 

[Syder]

I'm no expert, but if you openly send soldiers uninvited into another country to hold territories, isn't that called an invasion?

Just following Russia's example?

 

[Deleted member 80556]

some countries have no real way to defend themselves from invasion I guess

Colombia is the country that spends the most amount of money in armed forces in South America.

 

[Hip Hop]

some countries have no real way to defend themselves from invasion I guess

Sure, but Colombia is very capable.

 

[Matt]

some countries have no real way to defend themselves from invasion I guess

Colombia isn't one of those nations. They are very capable of responding to this militarily.

 

[DirtyManos]

What the fuck, what's their endgame? It's just some soldiers with tents?

Is there some dispute over trade, food supplies, or something that is making Venezuela use this as a card or something?

 

[uncredited male]

And also the allies that would support Colombia should things escalate.

This is like the opposite of the classic dictator move of targeting a vulnerable group.

 

[Deleted member 80556]

What the fuck, what's their endgame? It's just some soldiers with tents?

Is there some dispute over trade, food supplies, or something that is making Venezuela use this as a card or something?

No. Venezuela is in deep financial crisis, this is Maduro's way of distracting from that.

 

[Smiles and Cries]

Colombia isn't one of those nations. They are very capable of responding to this militarily.

Sure, but Colombia is very capable.

Colombia is the country that spends the most amount of money in armed forces in South America.

so why are these guys camping in Colombia?

 

[AJLma]

Wow. I was literally just thinking last night about how all this stuff is going down in western society while South America has been largely quiet, and said to myself "How long until people from Venezuela start marching into other countries, instead of sitting still and starving."

60 men seems like a desperation move as opposed to an act of war.

 

[clemenx]

Annex us pls, Colombia. Let's make Gran Colombia again.

At least help us assasinate Maduro or something. This country can't take Chavismo anymore. You guys are already feeling the mass migration we are having.

 

[Linkark07]

some countries have no real way to defend themselves from invasion I guess

If it was Panama or Costa Rica, sure. But Colombia has an armed force.

I wonder what Santos plans to do.

Annex us pls, Colombia. Let's make Gran Colombia again.

At least help us assasinate Maduro or something. This country can't take Chavismo anymore. You guys are already feeling the mass migration we are having.

Coming from a country that was annexed for almost 100 years to the Gran Colombia, I wouldn't recommend it.

 

[clemenx]

Santos is another Castro puppet in the region. He'll send an angry letter and that's it.

 

[Matt]

so why are these guys camping in Colombia?

Because so far Colombia hasn't decided to use force.

 

[Ōkami]

Its not as if the Colombian army would have much trouble taking over the murder capital of the world.

But I don't think Santos wants a war with them and Maduro isn't a man that can be reasoned with, not because he's ruthless but because he's an idiot.

It's not like they won't do anything but they wouldn't want to scale either, who knows what Maduro could do, I mean even with a more sane person at command, Chavez, things almost scalated a few years ago.

 

[superdeluxe]

The bananas will hold a referendum next week to decide whether they want to be annexed into Venezuela

I expect at least 90% of the bananas will vote to be annexed by Venezuela 🇻🇪

 

[Smiles and Cries]

Because so far Colombia hasn't decided to use force.

I respect that

this is a weird event

 

[Ahasverus]

Isn't this basically a declaration of war...?

Shortest war ever.

Please Maduro, don't fuck this up. Just apologize.

Annex us pls, Colombia. Let's make Gran Colombia again.

If only.

Santos is another Castro puppet in the region. He'll send an angry letter and that's it.

What? No. He's nearer to the nordic presidents than to Castro. He's also a neoliberal shill.

 

[TheRealTalker]

Venezuela to withdraw troops after Colombia border crossing

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-colombia-venezuela-border-idUSKBN16U2R5

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro will withdraw troops from Colombia's side of the two countries' border, after his soldiers set up camp in the neighboring country, Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos said on Thursday.

Santos, speaking on television, said the incursion of about 70 Venezuelan soldiers into the Colombian border province of Arauca was "totally unacceptable."

"I have just spoken with President Maduro," Santos said. "He has assured me he has ordered the withdrawal of troops from Colombian territory."

The neighbors would work together through diplomacy until the situation on the border normalizes, Santos said, adding that he was informed of the incursion on Wednesday.

Relations between the South American neighbors have been tense for years. Venezuela has closed the border several times in a crackdown on smugglers. In 2015, it deported hundreds of Colombians it accused of criminal activities.

.

 

[chadskin]

.

But are the bananas okay?

 

[FrankCanada97]

I'm sure they just got lost and "accidentally" ended up in Colombia. Just like that restauranteur who "accidentally" crossed the border into Canada at Niagara Falls.

 

[Ahasverus]

The neighbors would work together through diplomacy until the situation on the border normalizes, Santos said, adding that he was informed of the incursion on Wednesday.

See, this is why the guy won the Peace Nobel Price. He's a terrible president, but a fantastic dipomat.

 

[Xando]

But are the bananas okay?

Unfortunately 3 innocent bananas were shot

 

[uncredited male]

But are the bananas okay?

They are safely on the way to their new home on the black market.

 

[Smiles and Cries]

.

why did he do it in the first place? lol

 

[Ahasverus]

why did he do it in the first place? lol

He's dumb as a rock. He probably just told them to get food, and they saw food, and thought the owners didn't have cellphones and shit.

 

[Volimar]

So was this just a massive food grab?

 

[AcademicSaucer]

Colombia should emergency call an UNASUR meeting.

 

[Marky Mark]

 

[zeemumu]

.

Bluff called, I suppose.

 

[AlexBasch]

Can't feel but thinking that Santos is gonna ring Maduro and just say...

"Uhh...what are you doing?"

 

[zeemumu]

Unfortunately 3 innocent bananas were shot

 

[Machine]

Columbia should just build a wall and make the bananas pay for it

 

[uncredited male]

So was this just a massive food grab?

I think the banana fields make for better propaganda optics. Apparently they are sending food to Peruvian flood victims. So I don't think Maduro would like to be seen having a few dozen soldiers snatch some bananas, regardless of the current situation in the country.

 

[MGrant]

There's always money in the banana field.

 

[Rentahamster]

I can't stop visualizing infantry standing on a banana plantation hex from Civ when I read this story.