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VENEZUELAN President Nicolas Maduro has extended the border clampdown on Colombian paramilitaries to 10 more areas.
Seven municipalities in north-eastern Zulia state and three others in south-eastern Apure will be added to those already under the New Border of Peace initiative.
The “state of exception” measures were instituted last month after members of a Colombian gang operating in western Venezuela ambushed troops searching the border for smugglers, wounding three.
Since then some 1,400 Colombian criminals and unregistered immigrants have been arrested and deported, with many crime rings broken up in the process.
“The border belongs to the people, not to criminal groups, assassins and smugglers,” Mr Maduro said.
The president also announced three days of community events for Venezuela’s 5.6 million Colombian residents, who make up 20 per cent of the population.
Events starting on Saturday are intended to reinforce peace and brotherhood between the two countries.
