Colombia has intensified security measures along its 2,219-kilometer border with Venezuela this week, deploying 30,000 soldiers following the January 3 operation that resulted in Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro's reported detention by U.S. forces. The mobilization marks the largest military deployment in the region since 2026 began.
Footage from CGTN's local stringer shows heightened activity at the Simón Bolívar International Bridge, where families carrying luggage hurriedly cross between Cucuta, Colombia, and San Antonio del Táchira, Venezuela. Colombian authorities report a 40% increase in border crossings since Monday.
"We're buying extra rice and canned goods," said Ana Maria Gomez, a Cucuta resident. "Nobody knows if this will lead to fighting or more refugees. People only leave home for emergencies now."
While Bogotá maintains the deployment is purely defensive, analysts warn the move could destabilize cross-border trade worth $1.2 billion annually. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees has activated contingency plans for potential displacement scenarios.
