Venezuela Launches Military Operations on Border

[Judi Lynn]

Venezuela Launches Military Operations on Border
Published by Indymedia, New York
Monday, 09 November 2009

Mérida, November 6th (Venezuelanalysis.com) -- On Thursday, Venezuela announced the expansion of military operations along its western border in order to fight drug trafficking and protect a recently discovered reserve of coltan from illegal mining.

In what is titled Operation Blue Gold, 15,000 Air Force, Army, and Navy personnel will protect the coltan reserve, which straddles the states of Bolivar and Amazonas.

The government announced the discovery of the Coltan reserve last month. It coincided with the announcement of a public investment plan for the coming year aimed at boosting domestic manufacturing. On Thursday, Vice President and Defense Minister Ramon Carrizalez visited the site of the reserve in an indigenous community called El Paloma, and said the troops would help combat drug trafficking and illegal armed groups in the region, in addition to protecting the reserve.

“We have more than 15,000 men deployed along our western border, combating all the crimes that occur along the border, as you know, crimes which come from another country and are not ours,” said Carrizalez to reporters from the state television channel VTV. Carrizalez also displayed a sample of coltan in its unprocessed form, and explained that it is a highly coveted mineral because of its usefulness in satellites, missiles, computers, cellular phones, and other electronic devices. “It is a mineral of strategic character, and therefore it stimulates the imperial appetite and the appetite of the business people who seek to obtain maximum profit without giving importance to environmental damage or the destabilization of countries,” said Carrizalez.

Carrizalez made specific reference to the civil war-plagued Democratic Republic of the Congo, where it is estimated the world’s largest coltan reserves lie, and where Belgium and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) collaborated of the U.S. government to overthrow the first democratically elected prime minister in 1964.

More:
http://www.indymedia-letzebuerg.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=34692&Itemid=28

[ChangoLoa]

1. So the point is that our soldiers are being deployed to fight against narcos and protect the

coltan reserves from illegal mining?

I find this a bit strange, especially after yesterday's declarations by Chavez.

"Señores militares no perdamos ni un día en el cumplimiento de nuestra principal misión: Prepararnos para la guerra y ayudar al pueblo a prepararse para la guerra, porque es responsabilidad de todos"

"...To the militaries, let's not lose even a single day to achieve our main mission: prepare ourselves to war and help the people prepare to war, because it's our responsability"

"Señor comandante de la guarnición militar, batallones de milicia, vamos a formar los cuerpos de milicianos, a adiestrarnos. Estudiantes revolucionarios, trabajadores, mujeres: ¡Todos listos para defender esta patria sagrada que se llama Venezuela!"

"...To the commander of the military reserves, militia batallions, let's form the corps of militians, let's get ready. Revolutionary students, workers, women: All must be ready to defend this sacred fatherland called Venezuela!"

Judi Lynn, I think you'd be worried about this if you lived in Venezuela.

[Downwinder]

2. Haven't Colombia and the US called upon Venezuela to tighten up the border? n/t

[Judi Lynn]

3. You'd think with the BILLIONS George Bush poured into Colombia

during his 8 stolen years as pResident, Uribe would have paid for the necessary soldiers to watch his OWN damned borders, instead of expecting Venezuela and Ecuador to do all his work for him.

What DID he do with all that US taxpayers' hard earned money, anyway? He's going to have to start using some of our money to create a more effective government, if it's not too much trouble for him.

[Downwinder]

4. That he has not is instructive. n/t

[Bacchus39]

5. I don't think they asked Chavez to prepare for war n/t

s

[Downwinder]

6. Asking first is not the American (US) way any more.

Haven't you heard, we're preemptive now.

[Bacchus39]

7. who is talking about war??? Hugo is. I don't hear Obama talking about war

with Venezuela.

[Downwinder]

8. I thought you were. n/t

I didn't see anything in the OP about war.

[Bacchus39]

9. nope, it looks like someone is though

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091109/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/lt_venezuela_colombia_us

Chavez to troops: Prepare for war with Colombia