Soldiers killed in helicopter crash
Eighteen soldiers have died in a helicopter crash near Venezuela's border with Colombia.
The soldiers were patrolling the 1,400-mile border separating Venezuela and Colombia when the aircraft crashed, killing the crew and pilots.
Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez praised the soldiers for safeguarding the country's sovereignty.
He added that the United States should not be criticising Venezuela for allegedly failing to prevent incursions into Venezuela by Colombian rebels and right-wing paramilitaries.
The US State Department's annual assessment of terrorism released last week claimed Venezuela "did not systematically police" the border.