Chavez Accuses U.S. of
Having No Interest in
Ending Colombian Civil
War
Venezuelan President
Hugo Chavez said in a
television show Sunday
that the United States
has no interest in
ending the Colombian
civil war because it
gives the U.S. an excuse
to boost its military
presence in Latin
America.
"The one most interested
in seeing this war
continued is called the
United States," Chavez
said.
Chavez also described
the U.S. government as a
"hyper-terrorist" for
using bombing and
illegal invasion
methods.
Chavez renewed his call
to describe the
Revolutionary Armed
Forces of Colombia (FARC)
as belligerents instead
of terrorists, and urged
all Latin American
governments to pay
attention to the
importance of peace in
Colombia.
He said that if FARC is
recognized as a
belligerent force rather
than its current status
as rebels, and if FARC
accepts the change, it
would have to abide by
the Geneva Protocol and
give up actions such as
kidnapping.
He also called on his
Colombian counterpart
Alvaro Uribe to seek an
end to the conflict via
an international
agreement.
Chavez said that he did
not want to interfere in
Colombia's internal
affairs, but said the
problem goes beyond that
nation's borders, as
Venezuela is also
suffering from death,
injury, insecurity and
kidnapping in areas
close to the Colombian
border.
He said that a political
solution is essential to
end what he called a
war. "Sixty years of
civil war is enough. Let
us go for the solutions
and for peace," Chavez
said.
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