Murder of two Venezuelan youths in Columbia sparks diplomatic row
Bogota, Columbia: The murder of two Venezuelan youths in Columbia leads to escalating diplomatic dissension with the neighboring Venezuela.
Two Venezuelan youths, aged 12 and 18, were arrested by bystanders last week in the Colombian town of Tibu. A statement by regional police revealed that both were accused of intending to rob a store and were tied up with their hands cuffed.
A viral video reveals the pair being surrounded by people screaming at them and threatening to parade them across the town.
According to an anonymous police source, both were later found dead with bullets shot in their heads and a tag labelled “thief” attached to their bodies. The source assumed anonymity as they were not authorized to further discuss the matter.
It is still unclear as to who killed the boys. Tibu is a remote town in rural Catatumbo region, where narco-trafficking organizations and guerilla groups dominantly control large areas of the region.
Col. Carlos Martinez of the Colombian police announced an investigation on Monday to further the murder case and accused the local guerilla groups.
However, Venezuelan officials expressed complete dissatisfaction with Colombian authorities’ work to ensure justice, and claimed the killing as a proof of border phenomenon.
Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez, on Wednesday, cited the deaths as evidence of xenophobia and deadly persecution of Venezuelan migrants.
In a news conference in Caracas she said that, “The truth is that our migrants are being murdered in Colombia,” and vowed to raise the issue with multilateral organizations.
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