Chavez: Government of Colombia is provoking Venezuela into a war

Caracas, Venezuela, 11 May 2008. Speaking today during his weekly televised show "Hello President", Chavez said the government of Colombia is proving Venezuela into a war to justify an American intervention in the western part of the country. President Chavez publicly asked his counterpart in Colombia, Alvaro Uribe, to seriously reflect on such adventure. Chavez asked him to ponder on his role in history.  According to Colombian Caracol, bilateral relations are strained again.

 These comments are the reaction to persistent allegations of a relation between the Chavez administration and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC); an Interpol report on the FARC leader Raul Reyes laptop is expected soon. Reyes was killed in Ecuador during an illegal incursion of Colombian armed forces and police. After saying that for US and Colombia the Reyes laptop was evidence "a la carte", President Chavez asked them to submit serious and true evidence of the supposed Venezuelan relation with FARC. According to Spanish newspaper El País, Reyes laptop shows FARC established an international network cells in 17 countries to boost its image and activities. However,  OAS has already rejected the Interpol findings on the Reyes laptop.  According to American-Venezuelan lawyer Eva Golinger, the Bush administration has effortlessly tried to link Venezuela to FARC over the last eight years. Such unsuccessful attempts would allow it to include Venezuela as a terrorist state.  

 The Chavez comment also addressed a recent backing of Colombian President Alvaro Uribe to allegations made by his Defence Minister Juan Manuel Santos. According to Santos, Venezuela is providing shelter into its territory to Ivan Marquez who is a FARC leader.  After the killing of Raul Reyes, Ivan Marquez remained the possible link between FARC and Venezuelan for the negotiations of the release of three American hostages and the French Colombian politician Ingrid Betancourt. Uribe administration has made it clear its indisposition to further negotiations with the FARC for the release of hostages.     

Both countries gain in this odd exchange of allegations. Colombia is soon to confront very serious International demands on its role in the killing of an Ecuadorian citizen, Franklin Aisalla during the killing of Raul Reyes. Ecuador has proved Aisalla was killed after Colombian troops entered Ecuadorian territory illegally. By keeping a media attack on Venezuela and Ecuador links to FARC, the administration of Alvaro Uribe tries to efface its domestic crisis on paramilitarism and diminish efforts to have hostages released.

On the other hand, Chavez administration also gains from the hash exchanges. President Chavez is to face another election by the end of the year. This time, local authorities would be democratically elected. Fears of losing such political post to the opposition have fuelled the creation of a new party structure and endless accusations of separatism efforts by opposition local authorities. By equating opposition to separatism, Chavez sizes the opportunity to win nationalist hearts and future votes.  No wonder, Chavez today warned separatists that Venezuela would not lose one single inch of its territory again. In the past, Venezuela lost one third of its territory to invading British colonial power to the East and crafted Colombian diplomats to the West.   According to official polls, 69%  of Venezuelans approve the Chavez administration after more than 10 years in power.  

Sources: El Universal, VTV, Globovision, Telesur, YVKE, Unionradio, El Tiempo, El País, Vanguardia Liberal, RCN, El Colombiano, Caracol, Aljazeera,  

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