Colombia Protests Against Venezuela Fixing Maritime Border
Colombia is protesting against Venezuela over territorial disputes, Reuters reports.
"In the past few hours Colombia presented a letter of protest to the Venezuelan government because of the fixing of maritime borders to strengthen their offensive system," a spokesman from the foreign ministry said late on Saturday.
Venezuela's Decree 1787 creates Operating Zones of Integral Maritime and Insular Defense. The decree was approved on May 26 in order to bolster the country's national defense system.
Colombia and Venezuela have frequently disputed with each other. During the time of the late Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez administration, trade between the neighboring countries was temporarily banned.
As part of the long list of diplomatic issues between Caracas and Bogota, Madura demanded Colombia to give more information about an alleged unauthorized trip made by a former president of Spain.
The former Spanish president, Felipe Gonzalez traveled from Caracas to Bogota in a Colombian air force plane and Maduro wanted to know why. The Colombian military said the plane's entry had been authorized.
Meanwhile, the Colombian government is still struggling with the country's largest rebel group since starting peace talks nearly three years ago, BBC News notes.
FARC recently blew up a pipeline in northern Colombia leaving nearly 16,000 people without water. Local authorities said the water supply had to be cut because it was contaminated after oil spilled into the river.
Ever since the rebel group suspended its ceasefire on May 22, attacks on infrastructure have increased.
Peace talks between the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia and the country's government began in November 2012 in order to end more than five decades of conflict that claimed the lives of thousands of people.
FARC has been responsible for a few attacks since the ceasefire this year. The group killed 11 soldiers in May. Recently, the rebels cut off power to almost half a million people by bringing down an electricity pylon.
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