Regional Tensions Rise
As Venezuela Sends
Troops To Border With
Colombia, Orders Embassy
Closed
Regional tensions
increased Sunday as
Venezuela and Ecuador
boosted military
deployment on their
Colombian borders,
following Colombia's
anti-rebel action along
its border with Ecuador.
Venezuelan President
Hugo Chavez said Sunday
he was immediately
sending troops, tanks
and fighter aircraft to
the Colombian frontier.
"We don't want a war,
but we are not going to
allow them to violate
our territorial
sovereignty," he said
during his weekly TV and
radio program
Chavez said Ecuador was
also moving troops to
its northern border
(with Colombia), adding
that his Ecuadorian
counterpart Rafael
Correa could "count on
Venezuela for whatever
it needs, in any
situation."
Chavez also ordered the
closure of the
Venezuelan embassy in
the Colombian capital
Bogota.
Chavez's remarks came
after the Colombian
military killed Raul
Reyes, second-in-command
of the Revolutionary
Armed Forces of Colombia
(FARC), the country's
largest anti-government
group, in an attack on a
jungle camp across the
Colombia-Ecuador border
on Saturday. Ecuador has
recalled its ambassador
to Bogota, calling the
raid a violation of its
territorial sovereignty
while warning that the
Colombian action may
result in "ultimate
consequences."
It could be the start of
a South American war,
warned Chavez, who has
been engaged in a
dispute with his
Colombian counterpart
Alvaro Uribe, sparked by
the FARC hostage issue.
Chavez had been trying
to mediate between FARC
and the Colombian
government for the
release of hundreds of
hostages.
However, Uribe abruptly
called a halt to
Chavez's mediatory role
last November, alleging
that the Venezuelan
president had spoken
directly with a
Colombian general about
the hostage issue, in
violation of their
agreement.
Chavez responded by
putting bilateral ties
"in the freezer" and
withdrew the Venezuelan
ambassador from Bogota,
saying Colombia deserved
a better president.
Despite his war of words
with Uribe, Chavez has
this year helped
facilitate the
unilateral release of
six high-profile
hostages by FARC. |
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