Exclusive-Some 1,900 Colombian guerrillas operating from Venezuela, says Colombia military chief

Commander of the Colombian Military Forces, General Luis Fernando Navarro, speaks during an interview with Reuters in Bogota, Colombia September 29, 2021. REUTERS/Camilo Cohecha

BOGOTA (Reuters) - About 1,900 fighters belonging to Colombian rebel and crime groups are operating from Venezuela, where they plan attacks and participate in drug trafficking, the commander of Colombia's armed forces said.

The Colombian government has long said Venezuela's leadership grants safe harbor to Colombian armed groups, allowing trafficking of cocaine in exchange for a cut of the profits.