Ecuadorian President Raphael Correa has confirmed that his government was holding conversations with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) to free 12 hostages, among whom was Colombian presidential candidate, Ingrid Betancourt. The conversations were in an advanced stage, Correa states, but were frustrated by the "belligerent and authoritarian hands" of the Colombian government. The President asks what Uribe's government wanted by killing Reyes on Ecuadorian territory and then inventing government links with the FARC. He suggests that the objective was to destabilize a government that has refused to take part in the US-sponsored Plan Colombia and become another puppet of the USA.
Venezuelan Interior & Justice (MIJ) Minister Ramon Rodriguez Chacin accuses Colombian chief of police, Oscar Naranjo of having links with deceased Colombian narco-trafficker, Wiber Varela shot dead in Venezuela a month ago. Rodriguez Chacin says the information came out of a computer belonging to Varela, which, he claims, the assassins sent to kill Varela overlooked. According to the MIJ Minister, Naranjo's brother was one of the links in the narco-trafficking ring. The latter is currently in a German prison after being captured with 35 kg of cocaine in March 2007.
In a communique, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) has confirmed that Raul Reyes killed by the Colombian military inside Ecuador was on a mission seeking a solution to the situation of hostage, French-Colombian citizen and presidential candidate, Ingrid Betancourt when he and 15 rebels were attacked. The organization accuses Colombian President Alvaro Uribe of causing a dangerous tension with brother republics, seriously hindering the possibilities of a humanitarian exchange and annulling a political solution to the conflict. The group calls on the Presidents of France, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Argentina, Bolivia and others supporting the humanity exchange to continue fighting to free the Florida and Pradera zone to facilitate the exchange program. Cdr. Joaquin Gomez has been appointed to take Raul Reyes' place as a full member of FARC's Central General Staff Secretariat.
Fidel Castro has condemned the Colombian bombing of a rebel camp in Ecuador causing the death of 15 rebels. Fidel Castro says the bombs were American and guided by American satellites. It was a cold-blooded killing, he contends, and there is proof that the group of men and women attacked were almost all without exception sleeping when the bombing took place.
The European Union has finally made a statement calling on Ecuador, Venezuela and Colombia to avoid any further escalation of tensions between the three countries and to seek a political solution to the current conflict. The EU calls on all parties to show moderation. EU representative of foreign policy and common security, Javier Solana will meet up with Colombian Vice President, Francisco Santos Calderon tomorrow in Brussels. Santos Calderon has accused the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) of possessing radioactive material to make a "dirty bomb."
Colombia has also announced that it will request the International Criminal Court to open a case against President Chavez for his support of the Colombian guerilla movement. Colombian President Alvaro Uribe accuses President Chavez of supporting and financing genocide. According to Uribe, the rebels are pure terrorists and not a belligerent force. What is clear is that President Chavez and Uribe have opened an international debate on the nature of the FARC. The former believes they are a belligerent force and have been fighting a war against the Colombian State for more than 40 years, while the latter has adopted the US position that they are 9/11 (latter day) terrorists and therefore, enemies of the Western world.
Former Venezuelan Defense Minister, General (ret.) Raul Baduel argues that President Chavez should not have got himself involved in the conflict between Ecuador and Colombia. He also accuses the President of embarking on a personalist adventure aimed at distracting Venezuelans from their real problems and bolstering himself as a figure of power after his drop in popularity. The sending of troops to border areas is a showpiece, Baduel insists, and improper because Chavez is violating the military justice code regarding crimes of treason and against national security and the Armed Force (FAN). He should have called a meeting of the Defense Council of the Nation, the former G-i-C maintains, to assess the right reaction to information and after a proper assessment of evidence provided by the Colombian chief of police regarding what was on FARC commander Rafael Reyes' computer.
Venezuelan Ambassador to London, Samuel Moncada has hit out at ExxonMobil for attempting to smear the world image of Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA). Although the military and diplomatic impasse between Venezuela and Colombia has diverted attention away from the high court appeal hearings in London, Moncada argues that the transnational wants to blow a hole in English law to turn the court into an international tribunal. If ExxonMobil wins the hearing, it will be an abuse of the British legal process. PDVSA is asking the court to annul a cautionary measuring freezing company assets to the tune of $12 million.
British parliamentarians led by the Labor Friends of Venezuela president, Colin Burgon (MP) and trade union leaders headed a small protest against ExxonMobil outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London. The event was organized by the Venezuelan Information Center (VIC-UK). The protesters handed a note of solidarity to Venezuelan Embassy's Minister Counsellor, Felix Plasencia.
Patrick J. O'Donoghue
patrick.vheadline@gmail.com
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