Colombia’s government said it will declare a state of emergency in the event that renewed US attacks on Venezuela triggers a new wave of violence or a refugee crisis in the border region.
The possible state of emergency would take effect in the municipalities on the 2,200-kilometer border with Venezuela and would include measures to curb the activity of illegal armed groups that are active in the region.
In a response to US attacks and the kidnapping of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, President Gustavo Petro sent his administration chief, Angie Rodriguez, to the border city Cucuta to prepare for a possible crisis.
Rodriguez was accompanied by Defense Minister Pedro Sanchez and about a dozen other top administration and military officials.
In a press conference, Rodriguez said that the top officials traveled to Cucuta to coordinate a response to the ongoing crisis in Venezuela with governors and mayors in the border regions.
The situation on the border appeared normal on Saturday, but could enter in crisis if Trump decides to order a second wave of attacks as part of his government’s attempt to take control over Venezuela’s government and oil industry.
Venezuelan Vice-President Delcy Rodriguez, who will be sworn in as acting president on Monday, said that her government and the Venezuelan armed forces would resist any attempt to turn their country in a US colony.
An armed conflict between the US and Venezuela would have disastrous consequences for the border region, which relies on trade between the two neighbors and is partly controlled by illegal armed groups like the ELN and the Tren de Aragua.
Faced by a possible refugee crisis, Rodriguez said that the government seeks to makes sure that both locals and people fleeing Venezuela are guaranteed access to food and water, education and healthcare.
The military has increased efforts to assume control over the border to prevent that the illegal armed groups take advantage of the crisis now that Venezuela’s armed forces are preparing for possible confrontations with the US Army.
Previous US attempts to overthrow the Venezuelan government triggered mass migration into Colombia and collapsed healthcare services in the border region.
