France confirms Reyes was close to freeing hostages and Nicaragua breaks relations

Caracas Daily Journal (Vincent Bevins): President Hugo Chávez met with the Presidents of Ecuador and Argentina Wednesday, continuing his campaign against recent Colombian actions, even threatening to damage economic ties between the countries.

Later, Nicaragua broke diplomatic relations with Colombia.

Chávez said that trade would "go down," and that "Of the Colombian businesses that are here in Venezuela, we could nationalize some.'' This could have serious economic repercussions for both countries, since trade between them last year amounted to $6 billion. Chávez, however, thinks Colombia could be replaced as a source of food and other basic products, since in any case, it wasn't a reliable supplier.

Ecuadorean president Rafael Correa, while pleased with the OAS's decision Wednesday which granted him most of what he had asked the organization, made clear that the issue had not been resolved. "If they do not condemn the aggressor, the small and peaceful country of Ecuador will know how to answer the aggressor's outrage."

Chávez said that the troops he sent to the border are "merely defensive," to fortify sovereignty and send a message to Colombia and the U.S. that similar attacks would not be allowed on Venezuelan soil.

• Both presidents affirmed their commitment to peace and said they would pursue all diplomatic routes through dialogue.

Correa later went on to say that Uribe knew that the FARC was going to hand over 12 hostages in the month of March, including Ingrid Betancourt, and attacked to stop that from happening. "He knew it and he used those contacts … to mount this staged sting and make everyone believe that the contacts were political and in support of the FARC, so as to justify and throw a smokescreen over his unjustifiable action," he added.

France stepped forward to confirm that they knew Correa was in contact with the FARC negotiating hostage releases.

"The French Embassy was kept informed that Ecuador had contacts with the FARC to liberate hostages, among other Ingrid Betancourt," said a declaration from Didier Lopinot, ambassador to Ecuador.

"The FARC has communicated to us their disposition to liberate Ingrid Betancourt and a group of hostages. We sent that information immediately to the embassy in France, through the ambassador to President Sarkozy."

• Argentine activists in the region said that persons working on negotiations on behalf of the French government were close to where the bombings took place.

The Bush government continued with its unconditional support of Colombia, in contrast to almost every other government in the region. However, US officials expressed doubt for the first time about the contents of the famous laptops, and asked that they be sent to the U.S. for inspection.

Colombian Vice President, Francisco Santos, said that the Chávez-Colombia relationship was a "bomb about to explode," and called on the international community to "de-activate it," maintaining Chávez had funded the guerrillas.

When Chávez met with Argentine president Cristina Kirchner later in the day, she said she remained committed to fighting anything that threatened peace in Latin America. Her government had previously condemned Colombia's actions. But the main focus of the meeting was the signing of even more energy and food accords between the two countries, in the spirit of regional solidarity and integration. Argentine food might be able to help make up for some of the imports lost from Colombia, if the crisis really worsens economically.

When Correa travelled later in the day to Nicaragua, President Daniel Ortega announced that he too would break diplomatic relations with Colombia, in solidarity with Ecuador and as a result of continuing threats he believes Colombia poses to his country's sea territories. He said that the only way to re-establish relations with his country would be to respect Nicaraguan territory and assure that "they don't commit terrorist acts like this one they have launched against Ecuador."

"We are breaking ties with the terrorist policies that the government of Alvraro Uribe is practicing …i t's not the Colombian people." He also re-iterated Correa's request that Colombia receive a "clear condemnation." Correa has said he will only be satisfied when Colombia offers convincing reparations.