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Rebel leaders order
assassination of Colombian
president
Leaders of the rebel
Revolutionary Armed Forces of
Colombia (FARC) have given
orders to assassinate President
Alvaro Uribe, said Defense
Minister Jorge Alberto Uribe
Thursday.
"There is information from multiple sources
indicating that theFARC not only have the plan they have had since
the president opted to seek office, but also have ordered its units
to push hardto try to kill him," the minister told reporters.
Alvaro Uribe, who has been president since August 7, 2002, has long
been the target of FARC attacks. In April 2002 when he was onhis
presidential campaign trail in Barranquilla, capital of Atalantico
state, a car-bomb exploded just a few meters away from him.
FARC is the largest insurgent group in Colombia with up to 17,000
combatants across the country.
Colombia has been plagued by a four-decade civil war, in which
leftist rebels, far-right paramilitaries and government troops fight
each other, killing about 3,500 people every year.
Brazil
calls for more cooperation in region
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Thursday called on
Latin American and Caribbean countries to strengthen cooperation in
dealing with challenges in development and poverty reduction.
At the opening ceremony of the 18th Summit of the Group of Rio, Lula
said that conflicts and problems ahead of Latin American and
Caribbean countries are serious and complex, and therefore, no
country can solve them alone.
Lula pointed out that they must strengthen cooperation and resort to
united operations in dealing with these challenges.
In addition, "our solidarity is being tested by the Caribbean crisis
in Haiti," said Lula, adding that the international community must
take united actions in order to help Haiti solve practical problems
in reconstruction.
The two-day summit, a sub-continental political forum formed by19
countries of Latin America and the Caribbean and attended by over 12
presidents, discussed multilateralism, international cooperation,
reduction of famine and poverty, the Haiti crisis and innovation of
financial systems.
The Group of Rio was founded in 1986 to consolidate democracy in
Latin America through economic and social development, and by
spurring cooperation and integration among member countries.
The member countries are Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Chile,
Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador,
Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay,
Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela.
Latin American leaders congratulate Bush on re-election
Presidents of Latin American countries on Wednesday congratulated US
President George W. Bush on his victory in the presidential
elections on Tuesday.
In a hand-written letter released by the public-relations office of
the Presidency, Mexican President Vicente Fox told Bush he
appreciated his remarks "on the importance you and your
administration give to the relations with Mexico," in particular
with reference to issues like immigration, security, the combat
against terrorism and the economic ties.
Fox said that the re-election of Bush "represents the opportunity to
continue, with renewed enthusiasm, the open dialogue we started four
years ago, which has allowed us to establish a new understanding in
the benefit of our great nations."
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said in a message to
Bush that the vitality of democracy in their two countries "is one
of the aspects of coincidence and approach between Brazil and the
United States."
"The lively and fluid dialogue between the two countries has
produced benefits, not only in bilateral terms, but also in the
positive treatment of international matters of importance to our
nations," said Lula.
The Costa Rican government, through its Foreign Ministry, said the
Central American country warmly congratulates Bush on his
re-election to remain in office for four more years.
It is convinced that the United States and Costa Rica will continue
deepening their traditional links of friendship, solidarity and
mutual cooperation, said the government.
Peruvian President Alejandro Toledo congratulated Bush on his
re-election and the people of the United States for their
participation in the elections which were marked by transparency.
Toledo hoped the bilateral relations will develop "based on the
strengthening of democracy, the unrestricted respect for human
rights, the combat against poverty, the combat against terrorism,
drug trafficking and corruption, as well as the promotion of free
trade."
Meanwhile, Venezuelan Vice President Jose Rangel also said Wednesday
his country expects to have a more cordial relationship with the
United States.
He affirmed the Venezuelan government will not see "the United
States as a foe, as a rival, but as a very important country in the
region with which Venezuela has extraordinary relations from the
perspective of petroleum and in the combat against drug
trafficking."
In Lisbon, Portuguese Prime Minister Pedro Santana on Wednesday
communicated his will to reinforce the "excellent relationship"
between Portugal and the United States in a message to congratulate
Bush on his re-election.
Santana indicated that the continuity of Bush in the White House
"will reinforce the excellent relations between the two countries."
He assured Bush that "the Portuguese government will continue to
work closely with the US government in all aspects of common
interest."
In the message, Santana also said Portugal and the United States are
"friends and allies."
Chilean Senate approves shortening presidential term
Chile's Senate has approved an initiative to reduce the presidential
term from six to four years, ending discussions on reforming the
Constitution of 1980 that was introduced by the military regime of
Augusto Pinochet, local media reported Wednesday.
The initiative will be sent to the Lower House of Congress for
approval, the legislative authorities were quoted by local daily La
Tercera as saying.
Life-Senator and former president Eduardo Frei, who rejected the
reduction of the presidential term, was absent from the voting.
Senator Edgardo Boeninger of the Christian Democratic Party said if
the presidential term had been four years under late president
Salvador Allende, there would not have been a military coup.
On Sept. 11, 1973, Augusto Pinochet led a military coup that ousted
President Salvador Allende and formed a military government.
Senator Juan Antonio Coloma of the Independent Democrat Union called
the initiative a "serious mistake," saying it is hard to form teams
in four years.
Interior Minister Jose Insulza said, "Four years are enough to carry
out a government program adequately."
The Senate also voted to allow those Chileans born outside the
country to run for presidency, and scrapped the practice of
appointing senators, a key element of the 1980 Constitution.
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