Returning to Caracas: ambassadors have been home for almost a week now

Caracas Daily Journal (Vincent Bevins): The diplomatic crisis be-tween Venezuela and Colombia seems to be wrapping up as neatly as possible, given the circumstances, as the Colombian ambassador is returning to Caracas today. He had been in Colombia since last Tuesday.

This is one of the most significant developments in a return to normalcy after the reactions to last week's crisis raised the grim spectre of war in the Andes.

Rafael Correa, president of Ecuador, has said it will take some time for him to restore relations and confidence in Colom-bian President Alvaro Uribe. He said that "confidence is like a crystal. It is very delicate and when it is broken it cannot be repaired." However, he said he would restore diplomatic relations, but only after meeting with President Chávez to come up with a plan of action. He also celebrated the overall diplomatic outcome of the crisis.

"Even though the test has been very tough, I think we have arrived at some great lessons: new windows open up at a world level, thanks to the Latin America having demonstrated that in this region international rights come first, not force," he said. "Latin America has given an example to the whole world."

But it's not over yet. The OAS-sponsored investigative committee has started its operations at the site of the bombing in Ecuador, and will give a report at the meeting of foreign ministers that was called by the OAS for March 17. Insulza and the OAS ambassadors of Argentina, Bahamas, Brazil, Panama and Peru went to the site in helicopters to collect evidence, information and testimonies for the meeting.

Afterwards they will go to Bogotá to receive their official account of events. The Secretary General of the OAS, José Miguel Insulza, and Alan García, president of Peru, both praised the role President Chávez played at the Group of Rio Summit on Saturday. "His intervention was very decisive, and it was tremendously constructive," Insulza said. He said he had had fears "that the summit would end badly."

Many had expected to hear a version of Chávez' well-known bombastic and aggressive rhetoric, but he gave a surprisingly calm speech, in which he sang briefly, and called for peace.
"President Chávez had said some very harsh things in the past days. Nevertheless, this time he made an extensive, reflexive, and conciliatory speech, and I think that certainly played a very important role," Insulza said. He said he had not met with Insulza before the summit, but would like to in the coming days.

There is still the possibility that the OAS will choose to censure Colombia more harshly after all the facts of the case are revealed. If, for example it becomes exceedingly clear that the attack was not part of a "hot pursuit," or that non-rebels had been killed.