Army escalates deployment in South Venezuela

The national armed forces have set off the Air Transportation Group No. 9 based in the southern cities of Puerto Ordaz, Puerto Ayacucho and La Esmeralda, in the Amazonian region, to back government actions intended to take care of indigenous communities in the area, following the expulsion of the New Tribes.

A total of 91 people, including 88 military, two civilians and one officer of the Directorate for Intelligence, Security and Prevention (Disip,) are under this military unit commanded by Colonel Héctor Clemente Mellado. It has 19 airplanes and two choppers.

Defense Minister Orland Maniglia explained that the air group organized last January 4th as instructed by President Hugo Chávez, seeks to further local development, support transfer of personnel, contribute to social welfare, and increase actual involvement of the army in the region. All of the foregoing is within the framework of the National Strategic Plan for Defense, Development and Consolidation of the South, as part of Mission Guaicaipuro.

"There will be a permanent state presence in areas formerly occupied by outgoing religious groups. This is to ensure health and a number of services that are being provided," Minister of the Interior and Justice Jesse Chacón said at Mariscal Sucre Air Base located in the central city of Maracay, where he joined the Defense Minister and the military high command to check the aircraft recently procured.