Caracas September 2 (PL-RHC)-- Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro reaffirms that his government seeks to restore peace in border areas with Colombia to protect citizens of his country, who are beset by paramilitary violence and smuggling.

It is our responsibility to build a peaceful border, free of paramilitaries, the president said last night in his weekly program "Contact with Maduro" (Contacto con Maduro), broadcast from Beijing, China, during the Asian tour that seeks to strengthen ties with nations in that region.

Maduro insisted the constitutional measures taken since August 20th by his Government are directed to free the border areas from the scourge of violence and the illegal smuggling of Venezuelan food staples, medicine and fuel to neighboring Colombia.

The Venezuelan president ordered the closure of free transit to and from Colombia in several municipalities in the border state of Táchira due to an attack on that territory by paramilitaries against members of the Bolivarian Army.

Following this measure, he declared a State of Exception and ordered military operations to restore order in those areas and create conditions as to facilitate the implementation of a new model of supervision to ensure the safety of the inhabitants there.