2021 Apure clashes participant FARC-EP
The 2021 Apure clashes started on 21 March 2021 in the south of the Páez Municipality, in the Apure state in Venezuela, specifically in La Victoria, a location bordering with Colombia, between guerrilla groups identified as Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC-EP) dissidents and the Venezuelan government led by Nicolás Maduro.The conflict has provoked the displacement of at least 6,000 Venezuelans in Colombian territory, the destruction of the custom house in La Victoria, bombardments by the Venezuelan aviation, two casualties and several wounded of the Venezuelan Armed Forces. Colombian guerrilla leaders Iván Márquez and Jesús Santrich have been dismissed from responsibility of the attack by media outlets, who have attributed it to internal rebels of the armed group. Some civilians have accused security forces of committing abuses, including detaining and killing civilians, as well as both looting and burning homes. Mechanic José Castillo told Reuters that people were dressed in Venezuelan army uniforms in order to pass them off as guerrillas.Venezuelan non-governmental organizations, such as Fundaredes and Provea, have denounced human right violations committed by Venezuelan security forces against Venezuelan civilians, warning that the death of five family relatives in El Ripial could constitute extrajudicial killings and drawing similarities with the Massacre of El Amparo in 1988, where Venezuelan military and police officers killed fourteen fishermen and presented them as guerrillas.Timeline of events
2021
March
On 21 March 2021, an irregular armed group identified as FARC-EP dissidents started an attack to the Venezuelan army battalion in La Victoria town, located in the Colombian-Venezuelan border.As soon as the clashes started a strong military presence was reported in the Apure state; the Guasdualito Airport was taken and militarized. The same day, K-8 combat planes of the Venezuelan Air Force bombarded the lower part of La Victoria; the bombardments were directed at guerilla camp sites. Javier Tarazona, director of the NGO Fundaredes, argued that the bombings were local and did not have the purpose of targeting the Colombian guerrillas that operated inside Venezuela.The following day, on 22 March, the Venezuelan Defense Minister, Vladimir Padrino López, declared that two Venezuelan soldiers were killed and that 32 guerrillas had been arrested. He also assured having "neutralized" the leader of the attacks, alias "Nando", considering the situation as controlled. Shootouts and artillery mobilization continued in the following days.On the night of 23 March, the local custom house was destroyed by guerrillas using explosives. After the custom house attack, La Victoria was left without electric power and communications in the area were cut off, so most of the information was shared in social media. Human Rights Watch reported that over 3,000 Venezuelans civilians had been displaced to Arauquita, Colombia, where centers were established to help the refugees. On 24 March, through the human rights organization Provea, inhabitants of La Victoria denounced abuses, human rights violations and theft by Venezuelan officers.Armed conflicts continued on 25 March, as more clashes between guerrillas and the Armed Forces were reported. Venezuelan soldiers used self-propelled artillery in combat, including three armoured vehicles. Around the midday, a landmine exploded while the armoured vehicles moved through El Ripial sector. The Venezuelan government condemned the used of "terrorist methods" by the guerrilla and declared that it would request the help of the United Nations to disable the anti-personnel mines. NGOs reported that the activation of the mines had killed two Venezuelan soldiers. There were reports of arbitrary detentions during the shootouts and of Venenezuelan military officers asking for money for releases. The NGO Fundaredes denounced that on 26 March several attacks against the civilian population took place.Another guerilla attack and nine wounded soldiers were reported on 29 March. Argentine news website Infobae also compared the conflict to the 1995 Cararabo massacre.Vladimir Padrino López announced the beginning of radio transmissions by the Armed Forces in the Tiuna FM Radial Circuit, in La Victoria, on 31 March, to combat misinformation. The same day, two Venezuelan soldiers were killed after a mixed patrol commission that carried out patrol, reconnaissance and search operations in El Ripial was attacked with a rocket launcher.