The Venezuelan people will be able to sleep calmly amidst the general alert since the FAN will impede the intrusion of Colombian troops, said Rangel.

Venezuela condemned the aerial and land attack headed by the Colombian Armed Forces against a rebel base in Ecuador resulting in the death of at least 21 people, including rebel chief Edgar Devia (Raul Reyes).

Venezuela considered Colombia's incursion a violation of Ecuador's sovereignty. Quito and Venezuela immediately broke relations with Bogota and mobilized military forces towards its borders with Colombia.

In May of 2004, the Venezuelan government arrested 80 paramilitaries and stated that President Uribe had sent them to destabilize and attack Venezuela and in December of 2004 Colombian agents kidnapped a guerrilla troop in Caracas.

(Xinhua News Agency March 6, 2008)