PSUV councilman assassinated in Zulia while watching Colombia-Uzbekistan match

Zulia, Venezuela – Enyer Castillo, a councilman for the ruling PSUV party, was killed Wednesday night in the Jesús María Semprún municipality of Zulia state. The assassination occurred in a sector known for the presence of irregular armed groups, adding to the region's persistent insecurity. Castillo was at a local establishment, Manzos Pool & Bar, in San José de Casigua El Cubo, watching the Colombia-Uzbekistán World Cup match when two armed men entered and opened fire. He died at the scene. Witnesses managed to detain one suspect, identified as 21-year-old Miguel Alexander Colmenares, who was handed over to state police. The second assailant escaped on a motorcycle. This area has seen a surge in violence in recent months. Just a month prior, a series of armed attacks in the same jurisdiction resulted in at least seven deaths, including farmers, indigenous Barí people, and a suspected former FARC member killed in a police confrontation. International organizations like Insight Crime have warned about the consolidation of irregular armed structures in this border region with Colombia. Reports suggest that guerrilla groups displaced from Colombia are establishing production centers in remote Venezuelan areas, effectively acting as de facto authorities.