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(CNN Spanish) - The president of the National Assembly and recognized as president in charge of Venezuela for at least 55 countries, Juan Guaidó, reacted this Friday in an interview with Blu Radio Colombia around the controversial photos with alias “El brother” and “ The minor ”, identified by the Colombian Police as members of the Colombian criminal gang 'Los Rastrojos.
Guaidó said that in his journey to Cúcuta, to be present at the concert for peace and the attempt to enter humanitarian aid into Venezuelan territory on February 23, "he took many photos and it was difficult to know who was asking for photographs." CNN asked for a reaction to Guaidó and his press team; however, they indicated that they will not pronounce more at this time.
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We said it from day one: the entrance to Colombia on February 23 of Mr. @ jguaido was coordinated with the Rastrojos. Here are the armed brother, and the second in command of this paramilitary group, aka the youngest. pic.twitter.com/qflAYBgWQf
- WILFREDO CAÑIZARES (@ wilcan91) September 12, 2019
The images were posted on Twitter on September 12 by Wilfredo Cañizares of the non-governmental organization Fundación Progresar. Cañizares points out that from the first day, they denounced that the entrance of Guaidó to Colombia through the Francisco de Paula Santander Bridge was coordinated by Los Rastrojos.
Guaidó denied that the criminal group would help him cross the border. "No," he said in an interview with Blu Radio. "That crossing was very complex for us," Guaidó said.
Cañizares also detailed on Twitter that he has stories from the community that tell how the paramilitaries coordinated the passage of Guaidó. Cañizares reported that he requested information from the Foreign Ministry of Colombia, which has not yet spoken.
According to Colombian laws, the Foreign Ministry has 15 business days to respond to the request made by the foundation.
A spokesman for the Ministry of Defense confirmed that the people who appear with Guaidó in the photographs are members of the Los Rastrojos criminal gang and are serving sentences in Cúcuta for crimes to commit crimes. Albeiro Lobo Quintero, alias “Brother”, surrendered in Guaramito and Jhon Jairo Durán Contrera, alias “Menor”, “Carlitos” or “Costeño” was arrested when he was mobilized injured from Táchira to the Santander Port
The Ministry of Defense confirmed that "Guaidó was not accompanied by criminals while in Colombian territory."
In the interview with Blu Radio, Guaidó "celebrated" that these people are detained.
Los Rastrojos is a criminal structure indicated by the Colombian government of several homicides, threats to the population and linked to drug trafficking in northern Santander. According to Insight Crime, they became one of the most powerful transnational criminal organizations in Colombia until 2012 when their top leaders were captured or surrendered.
CucutaJuan Guaidó