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Nicaragua's
Army
Chief
Says
He
Will
Not
Allow
Encroachment
Of
Disputed
Wetlands
The
chief
of
Nicaragua's
Army,
General
Julio
Cesar
Aviles,
warned
that
"never
will
they
allow
the
removal"
of
Nicaraguan
territory,
including
the
San
Juan
River
and
the
wetland
dispute
with
Costa
Rica
that
is
now
before
the
International
Court
of
Justice
in
The
Hague
(ICJ).
During
the
celebration
of
the
32nd
anniversary
of
foundation
of
the
Nicaraguan
Army,
which
began
more
than
two
hours
late,
Aviles
said
that
the
soldiers
are
ready
to
stop
all
"foreign
claims"
over
the
San
Juan
river,
Nicaraguan
sovereignty
and
the
border
with
Costa
Rica.
In
his
speech,
the
military
chief
congratulated
Nicaraguans
for
"defending
the
sovereignty
of
the
San
Juan
River
and
Harbor
Head
(the
wetlands
in
dispute
known
in
Costa
Rica
as
Isla
Calero)".
Avilés
emphasized:
the
San
Juan
"is
a
symbol
of
patriotism
and
dignity
and
with
all
our
people,
the
Army
watches
and
defends
the
claims
that
are
made
over
it".
Although
the
ICJ
ordered
in
March
that
both
countries
stay
out
of
the
disputed
area
while
the
court
case
is
pending,
various
groups
made
up
of
Sandinista
youths
close
to
the
Ortega
government,
have
been
sent
into
the
territory
to
"defend
national
sovereignty",
provoking
further
protests
by
Costa
Rica.
In
his
speech,
Aviles,
reiterated
that
drug
trafficking
and
organized
crime
are
major
threats
in
Nicaragua.
Aviles
said
that
in
2010
the
armed
forces
seized
8.5
tons
of
cocaine,
about
$100,000
in
cash,
five
aircraft,
two
boats
and
detained,
in
coordination
with
the
National
Police,
547
drug
dealers
and
other
people
linked
to
1.754
crimes.
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