The U.S. is “concerned” regarding Russia’s “undemocratic influence” on the border between Colombia and Venezuela, shaken by violence involving Colombian armed groups, Deputy Secretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland said on a visit to Bogotá.
“Why is Russia more active on Colombia’s borders? We can only think that they are trying to extend their anti-democratic influence, ” Nuland said in interview with Blu Radio.
He also warned of the “potential” risk that Moscow” may be supplying evil actors (…) who are not only active in Venezuela, but may be trying to undermine Colombia’s sovereignty”.
In that regard, he stressed his concern regarding the situation in the border area. “We are particularly concerned regarding the growing Russian influence along the border line.”
On Tuesday, Nuland and Colombian President Iván Duque pledged to face together “external actors” who intend to intervene in the mid-year presidential elections in Colombia.
Bogotá accuses the government of Nicolás Maduro of harboring Colombian armed groups that take advantage of drug trafficking revenues and attack the security forces on the porous border of 2,200 kilometers, accusations that Caracas denies.
“Foreign interference”
The Nuland statements coincide with recent disagreements between Moscow and Bogotá, one of the main allies of the United States in Latin America.
The most recent came last week, when Defense Minister Diego Molano accused Russia of” foreign interference ” for its cooperation with Venezuelan troops at the border.
The Russian embassy rejected these statements that it called “irresponsible”, following which Molano said that it was misrepresented.
On Monday the Colombian foreign minister, Marta Lucía Ramírez, and the representative of the Kremlin in Bogotá, Nikolay Tavdumadze, smoothed rough and Russia pledged to avoid diversion of its military cooperation with Caracas
In May 2021, in the midst of an unprecedented movement of anti-government protests, Colombia blamed Russia for being linked to cyberattacks once morest official websites. The Russian embassy denied the allegations.
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