US: No evidence to include Venezuela in sponsoring terrorism list

Caracas, 2 May, 2008. On Wednesday 30 April 2008, US State Department's counter-terrorism coordinator Dell Dailey announced his country had no evidence to support the inclusion of Venezuela in the terrorist sponsoring country list. Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan and Syria remained in the list, Dailey added. According to El Universal, "Dailey noted that the United States was "worried" about the ties between the Venezuelan Government and the Colombian Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARC)."

As the report listed Venezuela as a non-cooperative category, Caracas rejected it. Venezuelan Ambassador to Washington, Bernardo Alvarez, stated the US report on terrorism was mostly motivated by political disagreements" with Venezuela.  

The inclusion of Venezuela in the terrorist report has not wide acceptance in the Bush administration. According to Venezuelanalysis, the Foreign Affairs committee of the U.S. Senate, recommended against such a declaration, as it would be counterproductive. The committee stated it would not only promote the isolation of Venezuela in the Western Hemisphere but also affect  U.S. commercial prospects.

The inclusion of Venezuela in the Patterns of Global Terrorism" report dates back to 2006. It has been motivated by two different reasons. First, bilateral relations with Iran were quoted as a cause for possible inclusion. Second, the anti Castro campaigners from the Miami Herald have been eager to link Venezuela to FARC in the past. However, it is a worldwide known fact that Caracas engaged in legitimate talks with FARC as a Humanitarian mediator to have hostages released. Initially, it counted with the backing of Colombian President Alvaro Uribe. However, as success approached Chavez was asked to stop mediating by Uribe. Despite such odd request, Venezuela continued its efforts and had six Colombian hostages liberated. Recently, French government also asked Venezuelan President to continue mediating for the release of hostages.

After the killing of FARC No.2 Raul Reyes by Colombian forces in Ecuadorian territory, various allegations against Venezuela have been made. They are mostly tailored-made information relating Reyes computer contents to Venezuela. Despite OAS and Interpol disdain of the information as evidence, it continues to be used to link Venezuela to FARC. This propaganda news are usually generated by the Conservative Media own by the Santos family in Colombia. Both the Colombian Vice President and Defence Minister belong to the Santos family.  

Last month and during a Congressional hearing with OAS General Secretary Jose Miguel Insulza, Miami Senator Connie Mack eagerly suggested a link between Venezuela and terrorism. OAS Secretary General denied such allegations.  

In a most recent event after the US failed to include Venezuela to th state sponsoring list, Miami Herald has renewed its allegations against Caracas. This time, it stated that in the Reyes computer there was an e-mail from current Venezuelan Home Minister and main Hosages mediator Ramón Rodriguez Chacín, asking FARC to provide training to local troops. The training was supposed to be for readiness in the event of a US military intervention in Venezuela. The Miami Herald allegations are based on unconfirmed documents provided by an unindentified Colombian Senior officer.

Sources: El Universal, YVKE, CNN, Venezuelanalyis, Globovision, The Miami Herald,

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