COLOMBIAN TROOPS CROSS BORDER, RAISE FLAG

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP08C01297R000700050005-7
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 28, 2012
• Sequence Number: 5
• Publication Date: December 31, 1979
• Content Type: MISC

Declassified and Approved For Release 2012/09/28: CIA-RDPO8001297R000700050005-7
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COLOMBIAN TROOPS CROSS BORDER, RAISE FLAG
PA301848 Paris AFP in Spanish 1822 GMT 30 Dec 79 PA
[Text] Caracas, 30 Dec (AFP)--Colombian troops penetrated into Venezuelan territory and
raised theColombi .. flag, the newspaper EL NACIONAL reported here today. Theleport says
the Colombian soldiers penetrated 3 km into Venezuelan territory along the border zone
of Dr Jesus Maria Semprun Municipality, Socuavo sector. This led to the mobilization
of a Venezuelan batalion and National Guard company.
According to EL NACIONAL the information was supplied by residents of the border town
of Casigua El Cubo. They also saw Venezuelan troops moving toward the Colombian border.
The newspaper adds that members of the Colombian Army recently crossed into the same
Socuavo sector by boat along the Socuavo River and arrested six Venezuelan peasants.
According to these troops, the peasants had crossed into Colombian territory.
Finally, the newspaper adds that further incursions into Venezuelan territory took
place, and another seven Venezuelan peasants were arrested. Now, Colombian troops have
apparently raised the Colombian flag there.
GOVERNMENT RECALLS AMBASSADOR IN
PA29130 Buenos Aire&ATIN in Spanish 2146 GMT 28 De 79 PA
CU FOR CONSULTATION
[Text] Caracas, 28 Dec LATIN)--The Ven uelan Governm t recalled its ambassador in 6
Havana following a numbeAf incidents inNlving attempts by Cubans to gain asylum in
the eMbaSsy,'Foreign Minist Jose Zambrano nnOunced here today.
The latest incident took place on 13 December hen seven Cuba s riding a truck crashed
into the residence of Ambassador Cesar Rondon Lo era. Cuban security agents fired at
the men, killing one.
"Betwee? 12 May and qi,3 December this year, there hav ,4been four in idents involving
attempts to obtain the protection of tike Venezuelan Embpsy in Havana. Twenty-one Cuban
citizens have been inVq.ved," said Foreign Minister Zamq4ano. "This eludes the period
between 15\lovember 1977\and the date inNnich the present constitutio 1 term began
(12 March 1979), during which there were other similar inAdents," he a ed.
TheAVenezuelan rotests were answered by the ?uban Foreign Mi,istry and "t is answer
coAains elements requiring a detailed analysi and consultations with the Venezuelan
ambezeador toa Abe," Zambran0Pointed out.
In defending the ri ht to asylum as a Venezuelan tradition, the foreign ministemaid,
"In ordA, to make itSkpossible to elercise this re6tnsibility normai4y, acces-sta, the
enbassy IX t be normal and free, nokbstructed by obvious and exaggA,ated security
"c,-
1kmeasures." He added that "in,the spefie case of our embassy in Havaa, the numb4r,
arms and behavior of the security persopnel assigned to protect_the enabey are out)pf
proportion wh,n compared With other diplomatic missions in Havana and, naturally, wtai
the Cuban Embassy in CaracaS."
The minister sai if the sec ,.ty rules fore the applicants for asylum to vi0,1ate the
security measureNstablished by the Cuban Government, "it places the ambassador in a
position that makeSit difficult' for him to persuade them, shodld it be necessary, to
abandon the mission."
Declassified and Approved For Release 2012/09/28: CIA-RDPO8001297R000700050005-7