Thousands of Venezuelan troops supported by tanks are moving towards the border with Colombia, Venezuela's defence minister has said.
President Hugo Chavez ordered 10 battalions to the border on Sunday after Colombian troops killed a top Farc rebel leader in Ecuador.
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Ecuador has also mobilised troops after the cross-border raid on Saturday.
Venezuelan Defence Minister Gustavo Rangel said the armed forces were "ready to defend the sacred sovereignty of the homeland".
The cross-border raid into Ecuadorian territory by Colombian forces to kill a leftist rebel leader from the Farc (the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia) has sparked a growing row.
Both Venezuela and Ecuador have broken off ties with Bogota.
(BBC)
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