Venezuela seeks UN help in clearing landmines near Colombian border Venezuela says many of its soldiers have been killed by landmines deployed by armed groups. A military offensive along the Colombian border has led to a humanitarian crisis in the area. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro accused the armed groups of having ties to the Colombian government. Venezuela announced on Sunday that it will ask the United Nations for aid in clearing landmines in the southeast of the country that Caracas says have been placed by Colombian armed groups. The Venezuelan government is preparing "to ask for immediate emergency aid from the UN... to defuse minefields left by these illegal groups of murderers and drug traffickers from Colombia," President Nicolas Maduro said in a televised broadcast.