QuoteChavez 'freezes' diplomatic ties with Colombia
By CHRISTOPHER TOOTHAKER, Associated Press Writer
CARACAS, Venezuela – President Hugo Chavez recalled his ambassador from Bogota on Tuesday and threatened to halt Colombian imports after the neighboring country said anti-tank weapons found in a rebel arms cache came from Venezuela.
Chavez also said he would sever diplomatic ties completely and seize control of Colombian-owned businesses "if there's one more accusation against Venezuela."
The actions ratcheted up tensions between the two countries amid Chavez's criticism of a pending deal to increase the U.S. military presence in Colombia, a key Washington ally in the region that has accused Chavez of helping leftist rebels. Chavez is a strong critic of U.S. influence in Latin America.
His warning to Colombia stems from President Alvaro Uribe's complaint over the weekend that anti-tank rocket launchers sold to Venezuela by Sweden during the 1980s were obtained by Colombia's main rebel group, the leftist Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC. Sweden confirmed the weapons originally were sold to Venezuela's military.
Chavez accused Colombia of acting irresponsibly in the accusation, saying there is no evidence Venezuela was the source of the weapons.
"We are not going to accept this irresponsibility," Venezuela's socialist leader said.
In Bogota, the Colombian Foreign Ministry's said Uribe and Foreign Minister Jaime Bermudez were traveling outside the country and would have no comment until they return.
Chavez threatened to halt all trade agreements with Uribe's government and find new suppliers to replace imports from Colombia.
Venezuela and Colombia share some $6 billion in annual trade. Among goods imported from Colombia are milk and other food items that periodically become scarce in Venezuela due to government-imposed price controls.
"We can get them from any other country," Chavez said.
Chavez also raised the possibility of shutting down a 139-mile (224-kilometer) pipeline that carries 5.7 million to 8.5 million cubic meters (200 million to 300 million cubic feet) of natural gas daily from Colombia to oil installations in western Venezuela.
"The gas that comes from Colombia isn't indispensable for us. We could shut down that gas pipeline," he said.
Colombian officials have long alleged that Chavez's government aids the FARC by giving senior rebel leaders refuge and allowing the guerrillas to smuggle tons of cocaine through the country to raise money for their insurgency. Chavez has denied doing that.
Relations between the two South American nations have been rocky in recent years. Tensions hit their low point in 2008 after Colombia attacked a FARC camp in Ecuador. Chavez responded by briefly dispatching troops to the 1,400-mile (2,300-kilometer) border with Colombia and temporarily pulling out his ambassador in Bogota.
Chavez was infuriated when Colombian officials later leaked electronic documents they said were found on the computer of a FARC commander killed in the cross-border raid. In the documents, rebel commanders discussed obtaining bazookas and other weapons from Venezuelan officials, including then-military intelligence chief Hugo Carvajal.
Chavez and Uribe smoothed over their fight last year and relations calmed.
Elsa Cardoso, a professor of political science and international relations at the Central University of Venezuela, said she expects the conflict this time to be more severe and longer lasting.
"Accusations against Venezuela's government have been accumulating: drug trafficking, arms trafficking and connections to Colombian guerrillas," Cardoso said in a telephone interview. "Venezuela has put itself in the eye of the hurricane."
Before the rocket report, Venezuela was upset by Colombia's decision to forge stronger military ties with the United States.
Chavez, who has sought to use Venezuelan oil wealth to forge an anti-U.S. bloc in the region, has strongly criticized a pact being negotiated to let U.S. forces use three airfields and two navy bases in Colombia.
Colombian officials say Venezuela should not be concerned, saying the U.S. forces will be helping fight drug trafficking. Colombia says the number of U.S. service personnel and civilian military contractors will not exceed the 1,400 mandated by the U.S. Congress.
Sounds like a confession to me.
Boy I hope Chavez does something stupid, like tries to invade. That'd make my day.
Chavez will never actually go through with any of his militaristic, sabre-rattling threats. Any foreign excursion on his part would inevitably end in utter failure and worldwide condemnation--and he knows it.
Far easier for him to continue acting the oaf in the foreign sphere and reap the 'fame' from it than to actually do anything.
Quote from: HisMajestyBOB on July 28, 2009, 11:30:27 PM
Boy I hope Chavez does something stupid, like tries to invade. That'd make my day.
That'd be great. Tv has been pretty boring lately.
Quote from: Habbaku on July 28, 2009, 11:34:59 PM
Chavez will never actually go through with any of his militaristic, sabre-rattling threats. Any foreign excursion on his part would inevitably end in utter failure and worldwide condemnation--and he knows it.
Far easier for him to continue acting the oaf in the foreign sphere and reap the 'fame' from it than to actually do anything.
I can dream, can't I?
Quote from: HisMajestyBOB on July 29, 2009, 12:10:25 AM
I can dream, can't I?
We all can, Bob; we all can.
At least most of my christmases would come the day Chavez goofs up, tries a military action, forgets to cover his tracks with FARC, and promptly gets put on a plane to The Hague.
Quote from: Habbaku on July 28, 2009, 11:34:59 PM
Chavez will never actually go through with any of his militaristic, sabre-rattling threats. Any foreign excursion on his part would inevitably end in utter failure and worldwide condemnation--and he knows it.
Far easier for him to continue acting the oaf in the foreign sphere and reap the 'fame' from it than to actually do anything.
Yeah, but since when are dictators that rational?
I hope he gives our new glorious president an oportunity to declare a war.
A tour in Venezuela beats the hell out of a tour in islamoland.
It would be like a vacation, all expenses included.
Quote from: Siege on July 29, 2009, 12:18:23 AMA tour in Venezuela beats the hell out of a tour in islamoland.
It would be like Vietnam. Except you'd have to call everyone Victor Carlos.
Quote from: Siege on July 29, 2009, 12:18:23 AM
Yeah, but since when are dictators that rational?
I hope he gives our new glorious president an oportunity to declare a war.
A tour in Venezuela beats the hell out of a tour in islamoland.
It would be like a vacation, all expenses included.
How do you handle humidity?
I imagine Sweden has an end-use agreement with Venezuela and that diverting the weapons to FARC was illegal under that agreement. Has the Swedish government commented on that?
Quote from: Admiral Yi on July 29, 2009, 03:43:08 AM
Quote from: Siege on July 29, 2009, 12:18:23 AM
Yeah, but since when are dictators that rational?
I hope he gives our new glorious president an oportunity to declare a war.
A tour in Venezuela beats the hell out of a tour in islamoland.
It would be like a vacation, all expenses included.
How do you handle humidity?
I imagine Sweden has an end-use agreement with Venezuela and that diverting the weapons to FARC was illegal under that agreement. Has the Swedish government commented on that?
In these trying times any business is good business. What do Swedes care about terrorists using their goods to murder people?
Quote from: Admiral Yi on July 29, 2009, 03:43:08 AM
Quote from: Siege on July 29, 2009, 12:18:23 AM
Yeah, but since when are dictators that rational?
I hope he gives our new glorious president an oportunity to declare a war.
A tour in Venezuela beats the hell out of a tour in islamoland.
It would be like a vacation, all expenses included.
How do you handle humidity?
I imagine Sweden has an end-use agreement with Venezuela and that diverting the weapons to FARC was illegal under that agreement. Has the Swedish government commented on that?
Swedish officials have stated that it's a clear violation of the agreement.
Quote from: The Brain on July 29, 2009, 03:55:16 AM
Quote from: Admiral Yi on July 29, 2009, 03:43:08 AM
I imagine Sweden has an end-use agreement with Venezuela and that diverting the weapons to FARC was illegal under that agreement. Has the Swedish government commented on that?
Swedish officials have stated that it's a clear violation of the agreement.
And Venezuela has been put on the black list, no more Swedish arms for them.
Well OK then. :)
This is going to really hurt the Oligarchs.
Chavez is being called, again, on his actions supporting FARC type groups. Didn't he get slammed for the same in another neighboring nation not too log ago? In fact, isn't FARC just about neutralized in Colombia? After the Colombian govt rescue of hostages a little while ago, quite a bit of info came out how FARC was about on its last legs. In fact, the Colombian military, especially special forces, have become well trained and quite effective, having also had a lot of US training and support.
Quote from: Habbaku on July 28, 2009, 11:34:59 PM
Chavez will never actually go through with any of his militaristic, sabre-rattling threats. Any foreign excursion on his part would inevitably end in utter failure and worldwide condemnation--and he knows it.
Far easier for him to continue acting the oaf in the foreign sphere and reap the 'fame' from it than to actually do anything.
We(Languish) do need a new war.
Quote from: Siege on July 29, 2009, 12:18:23 AMIt would be like a vacation, all expenses included.
You're aware of the fact that FARC strongholds tend to be in the middle of the Amazon rainforest, right?
I think I'd prefer jungle over desert as well, in general, but maybe not in terms of a war zone.
Quote from: CountDeMoney on July 29, 2009, 12:22:41 AM
Quote from: Siege on July 29, 2009, 12:18:23 AMA tour in Venezuela beats the hell out of a tour in islamoland.
It would be like Vietnam. Except you'd have to call everyone Victor Carlos.
:lol:
Quote from: Siege on July 29, 2009, 12:18:23 AM
Yeah, but since when are dictators that rational?
When their regimes are at stake, they start becoming a lot more so. Chavez is a buffoon, but he knows how to keep the power he has--and foreign adventures only harm that. Blustering, on the other hand, is an easy way to look big while doing nothing.
QuoteI hope he gives our new glorious president an oportunity to declare a war.
And I hope you're dead wrong and that he quietly exits his position and gives way to someone who is nothing like himself and that we can resume normal relations with the country.
Quote from: Grey Fox on July 29, 2009, 07:42:25 AM
We(Languish) do need a new war.
There are plenty floating around the world, already. They just aren't as sexed-up or large in scope.
Yea pretty sure FARC is on its last legs. A friend of mine is in the Army Corps of Engineers and they've been down there a lot with (re)building infrastructure.
Quote from: Habbaku on July 29, 2009, 09:23:41 AMThere are plenty floating around the world, already. They just aren't as sexed-up or large in scope.
There's always Somalia. :)
I believe a new conflict of some sort starts there almost weekly, between one faction or another.
Quote from: Maximus on July 29, 2009, 09:26:15 AM
Yea pretty sure FARC is on its last legs. A friend of mine is in the Army Corps of Engineers and they've been down there a lot with (re)building infrastructure.
We've said that about a lot of Latin American guerrilla movements that didn't quite die off. FARC is definitely weakened, but I wouldn't count them out just yet.
Here's an iPhone tailor-made for BB: http://www.theonion.com/content/news/apple_claims_new_iphone_only?utm_source=a-section
Quote from: derspiess on July 29, 2009, 11:04:43 AMWe've said that about a lot of Latin American guerrilla movements that didn't quite die off. FARC is definitely weakened, but I wouldn't count them out just yet.
I wonder how Sendero Luminoso is doing these days?
Quote from: Caliga on July 29, 2009, 11:28:58 AM
I wonder how Sendero Luminoso is doing these days?
Their leadership got captured a couple years back. They are: kaput.
Quote from: Admiral Yi on July 29, 2009, 01:27:20 PM
Quote from: Caliga on July 29, 2009, 11:28:58 AM
I wonder how Sendero Luminoso is doing these days?
Their leadership got captured a couple years back. They are: kaput.
I recently read there's a new guy in charge who's managed to stabilize things and there's been an uptick in attacks.
Ok.
Next: I wonder how EZLN is doing? :)
Quote from: derspiess on July 29, 2009, 11:04:43 AM
Quote from: Maximus on July 29, 2009, 09:26:15 AM
Yea pretty sure FARC is on its last legs. A friend of mine is in the Army Corps of Engineers and they've been down there a lot with (re)building infrastructure.
We've said that about a lot of Latin American guerrilla movements that didn't quite die off. FARC is definitely weakened, but I wouldn't count them out just yet.
I agree. Latin-american countries don't know how to do a finishing move, despite having the political will to do it.
Israel knows how to do the finishing move, but doesn't have the political will.
Quote from: Siege on July 29, 2009, 05:20:30 PM
I agree. Latin-american countries don't know how to do a finishing move, despite having the political will to do it.
Israel knows how to do the finishing move, but doesn't have the political will.
Some of those button combos are kinda hard to master, you know.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fmedia.giantbomb.com%2Fuploads%2F0%2F3017%2F230874-street_fighter_shoryuken_03_large.jpg&hash=75b928c375dce541f0393756a5ba5b1a85e4ffb1)
Quote from: jimmy olsen on July 29, 2009, 01:29:32 PM
Quote from: Caliga on July 29, 2009, 11:28:58 AM
I wonder how Sendero Luminoso is doing these days?
I recently read there's a new guy in charge who's managed to stabilize things and there's been an uptick in attacks.
Yea I have another friend (:P) who was going to Peru on a kayaking trip that nearly got canceled because of this.
Whenever SL comes up I usually bore people with a story about how I almost witnessed a Sendero Luminoso hit in the Stockholm subway in the 90s.