Venezuela says it arrested Colombian spies

CARACAS, Venezuela, Oct. 29 (UPI) -- Venezuelan officials have captured two Colombian spies, President Hugo Chavez said, as Colombian officials deny any spy activities in Venezuela.

Chavez said the two Colombians will be tried while Francisco Arias Cardenas, Venezuela's vice minister of foreign affairs for Latin America, said his government sent a protest letter to the Colombian Foreign Ministry, CNN reported Thursday.

"(Colombian Administrative Department of Security) agents were captured spying, which violates the agreements of the Charter of Nations between brother countries, and we reject such actions," Arias Cardenas said Tuesday.

He said the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry demanded that the Colombian government "stop ... activities in Venezuelan territory that are not friendly or fraternal at all."

Colombian security director Felipe Munoz said Wednesday the agency did not instruct any of its agents to go to Venezuela. A separate statement said an internal order forbids agents from going to Venezuela for any reason.

Along with the denial, Colombia accused Venezuela of illegally holding a security services officer since September.