Colombia and US plan ambush on Venezuela?

<?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />Caracas, Venezuela. Sunday morning, former Vice President of Venezuela and journalist José Vicente Rangel said Colombia and US were planning an ambush to undermine Venezuela’s stability. On his weekly TV show, he claimed Colombian Defense Minister Juan Manuel Santos would be involved in plans to attack government of Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez. 

 

These destabilisation plans would consist of infiltrating Colombian military personnel into Venezuela to kill members of both opposition members and government officials. Such actions would be followed by havoc and confusion. A notorious Colombian drug lord, Wilber "Jabón" Varela would be arrested in Venezuela by Colombian agents. He would state Venezuelan government supported and sheltered him. This “confession” could rise serious question on the Venezuelan policy towards drug trafficking.

A similar situation took place when Rodrigo Granda – a FARC member - was spotted and arrested in Venezuela two years ago. Then, bilateral relations got severely affected. President Álvaro Uribe had to come to Caracas to apologize. <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /> This ambush plans were revealed just few days after Negroponte´s visit to Colombian. On Friday Venezuelan Foreign Minister, Nicolas Maduro cancelled a planned visit to Colombia to meet with is counterpart Fernando Araújo. Few days before, Maduro had asked Colombian Ministers to stop backing US negative statements on Venezuela.  Colombian Defense Minister Santos had questioned Venezuelan policies during an International Drug Conference in Spain. He criticized the expulsion of DEA from Venezuela in 2005.  Maduro sent a diplomatic letter expressing his country discomfort at Santos´ remarks

President Uribe is undergoing a political crisis after Salvatore Mancuso - head of the United Self-Defence Forces of Colombia (AUC) - revealed further implication of Government officials and elite in their activities. Current Defense Minister Juan Manuel Santos is one of those accused of involvement with paramilitary forces and plots against former Colombian President Ernesto Samper. Uribe Government has also been confronted with revelation of unauthorised phone taping of opposition and officials.

On Sunday, Colombian Attorney General Mario Iguarán warned weakness in procedural process could set free those investigated for involvement with paramilitary forces. Thirteen congressmen, fifteen politicians and governmental officials are now detained for their links to paramilitary criminal activities.

 

PS: Colombian Foreign Minister Fernando Araújo answered accusations on Monday. He deemed them absurd and readily confirmed his country willingness to good neighbouring relations with Venezuela. He also stated that Jose Vicente Rangel held no public position. Thus, his comments were not going to be the subject of diplomatic disturbance. Neither Araújo nor Maduro have ever met since taking office. Such unusual situation keeps analysts wondering what is going at the bilateral relations level.  An official reply to Maduro´s diplomatic note has yet to be answered by Colombia.  It complains on Santos´ comments at Madrid.

Sources: 

http://www.elcolombiano.com.co

 http://www.caracol.com.co

http://www.telesurtv.net

http://www.globovision.com

http://www.eltiempo.com

http://www.rcn.com.co

http://www.vanguardia.com

http://news.bbc.co.uk

http://www.unionradio.com.ve/