Venezuela Seizes Three Combat Boats With Colombian Navy Emblems

Venezuela’s Bolivarian National Armed Force (FANB) Saturday reported on the seizure of three combat boats with emblems of the Colombian Navy that had been abandoned in Chorro El Mono, Orinoco river, in the Bolivar State.

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"The unmanned ships are Boston Wheeler model speedboats, each with two Evinrude brand 175 HP engines, armed with 50mm and M60 caliber machine guns, and their respective ammunition," the FANB informed.

"All this material is in custody... The Public Ministry and other Venezuelan institutions carry out the corresponding investigations."

The discovery of this warlike material happened while the Venezuelan military was executing the actions envisaged in the "Bolivarian Shield," which is a military operation that President Nicolas Maduro's administration implements to prevent its country from being attacked by foreign aggressors.

"The patrol and search work continues throughout the national territory, as part of the operation Bolivarian Shield so as to guarantee the Nation's freedom, sovereignty, and independence," Defense Minister General Vladimir Padrino Lopez explained.

On May 3, this South American country suffered an attempted armed incursion led by U.S. mercenaries who set out with speedboats from Colombia to the Venezuelan coasts.

As of Saturday morning, 23 people who participated in the paramilitary raid supported by the opposition lawmaker Juan Guaido have been detained.

Among them are two U.S. former green berets, Luke Alexander Denman and Airan Seth Berry, who appeared before Venezuelan justice on Friday.​​​​​​​