Venezuela deploys more troops along Colombian border
Venezuela will deploy more troops in the southwestern state of Apure bordering Colombia, Venezuelan Army Commander Raul Baduel announced Friday.

Local daily El Nacional quoted the commander as saying that the Colombian government's carelessness in guarding its border and preventing the movement of drug-traffickers and subversive groups leaves Venezuela with no option but to deploy a new light-cavalry division, dubbed "Operations Theater Number Two," to the area.

The Venezuelan government will increase from 15,000 to 22,000 the number of troops stationed along the 2,219-km Colombian-Venezuelan border.

General Melvin Lopez, Inspector General of the Venezuelan Armed Forces, stressed Colombia's lack of political will to clear up the situation along the common border.

Venezuela has complained to the neighbouring country about the lack of security along the border. The situation has become complicated in recent years due to tense bilateral relations generated by the alleged links of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez with Colombian armed opposition groups.

Throughout history, the two countries have experienced border conflicts, but still remain main partners in the Andean Community of Nations (ANCOM), along with neighbors Bolivia, Ecuador and Peru.

Bilateral relations seriously deteriorated in 2000 with the signing of the Plan Colombia between Colombia and United States to cope with drug-trafficking and subversion.

Caracas became concerned about Washington's intervention in the affairs of the neighboring country, while Bogota accused Venezuela of supporting Colombian guerrillas.

Yet, in 2002, Chavez and his Colombian counterpart Alvaro Uribe held a meeting to promote trade and establish a system to deal with problems on their common border.

The 2002 meeting built upon a previous attempt to improve relations between Caracas and Bogota, namely a border integration agreement signed in Oct. 1989. It included a joint cooperation to end drug-trafficking.