Porters transporting products from Venezuela to Colombia blocked the passage of the Simon Bolivar international bridge with their motorcycles on Tuesday, protesting against the alleged excessive control exercised by the Venezuelan National Guard.
The protesters, tired of what they argue is power abuse exercised by the Venezuelan National Guard, created a blockade of bikers on the Simon Bolivar international bridge that connects the northeastern Colombian city of Cucuta with the Venezuelan border-town of San Antonio del Tachira, national media reported on Tuesday.
According to official sources in the Tax and Customs Police, “about 30 motorcyclists, weary of the aggression of the National Guard troops who had taken a large stretch of the river Tachira to prevent access of the porters, blocked the passage with their bikes preventing vehicles and pedestrians to pass,” newspaper La Opinion reported.
Several residents of the nearby Colombian border-town of Villa del Rosario claim to have heard gunshots on the Venezuelan side as the National Guard arrested a group of smugglers, which left one man injured by gunfire, according to newspaper El Espectador.
Protesters have asked the Venezuelan authorities to release the merchants who were detained during the riots.
Sources
- Fuertes disturbios bloquean el paso en el puente internacional Simón Bolívar (El Espectador)
- Se mantiene paso restringido en la frontera (La Opinion)