El Universal cites report: border areas crawling with guerrillas and paramilitaries

<a href=www.vheadline.com>Venezuela's Electronic News Posted: Friday, May 02, 2003 By: Patrick J. O'Donoghue

An unsigned El Universal report says one thousand (1,000) left-wing Colombian guerrillas have been operating inside Venezuela for months and a hundred (100) paramilitaries belonging to the right-wing Self-Defense Units of Colombia (AUC)  have come in over the last couple of weeks. 

The guerrillas have set up 19 camps with 15 belonging to the revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and 4 to the national Liberation Army of Colombia (ELN). 

The report, allegedly drawn up by Colombian military and police spokespersons and independent sources in Caracas, singles out a camp located on La Victoria farm near Machiques (Zulia) where future Bolivarian Liberation Front (FBL) urban cell leaders are receiving training. 

The same unidentified sources indicate that the guerrillas are holding several hostages in the camps and asking hefty sums to release them. 

US Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Office spokesman, Charles Barclay says the USA is concerned about the "poor nature" of the Colombian-Venezuelan border  and has spoken to both governments about collaboration in border security.