Tag Archives: South America

Aug
12
2010
Posted by
editor
Comments

Chávez agrees to clamp down on rebels

This article was originally posted by The Irish Times

Colombia and Venezuela ended their diplomatic stand-off on Tuesday after Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez agreed to step up efforts to prevent Colombian rebels from operating on Venezuelan soil.

Mr Chávez broke off ties with his Andean neighbour on July 22nd after the government in Bogotá presented evidence to the Organisation of American States which it said proved the government in Caracas tolerated the presence of Colombian guerrillas on its territory.

The satellite images reportedly identified 87 rebel camps housing 1,500 guerrillas from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc) and the smaller National Liberation Army (Eln). Colombia has long suspected the left-wing Mr Chávez of proving covert support to the Marxist groups.

The deal to re-establish ties was hammered out during four hours of talks between Mr Chávez and Colombia’s new president Juan Manuel Santos in the Colombian resort of Santa Marta, held in the house where South American independence hero Simón Bolívar died in 1830.

Mr Chávez, who expressed his “love” for Colombia, arrived at the meeting with a biography of Bolívar as a present for Mr Santos, who celebrated his birthday on Tuesday. The Venezuelan leader idolises Bolívar after whom he named his political movement.

Read More

 
Aug
11
2010
Posted by
editor
Comments

US-Venezuela: The Empire Strikes Back (and Loses)

This article was originally posted by Venezuelan Analyisis

US policy toward Venezuela has taken many tactical turns, but the objective has been the same: to oust President Chavez, reverse the nationalization of big businesses, abolish the mass community and worker based councils and revert the country into a client-state.

Washington funded and politically backed a military coup in 2002, a bosses’ lockout in 2002-03, a referendum and numerous media, political and NGO efforts to undermine the regime. Up to now all of the White House efforts have been a failure – Chavez has repeatedly won free elections, retained the loyalty of the military and the backing of the vast majority of the urban and rural poor, the bulk of the working class and the public sector middle class.

Washington has not given up nor reconciled itself to coming to terms with the elected government of President Chavez. Instead with each defeat of its internal collaborators, the White House has increasingly turned toward an ‘outsider’ strategy, building up a powerful ‘cordon militaire’, surrounding Venezuela with a large-scale military presence spanning Central America, northern South America and the Caribbean. The Obama White House backed a military coup in Honduras, ousting the democratically elected government of President Zelaya (in June 2009), a Chavez ally, and replacing it with a puppet regime supportive of Washington’s anti-Chavez military policies. The Pentagon secured seven military bases in eastern Colombia (in 2009) facing the Venezuelan frontier, thanks to its client ruler, Alvaro Uribe, the notorious narco-paramilitary President. In mid 2010 Washington secured an unprecedented agreement with the approval of right wing President Laura Chinchilla of Costa Rica, to station 7000 US combat troops, over 200 helicopters, and dozens of ships pointing toward Venezuela, under the pretext of pursuing narco-traffickers. Currently the US is negotiating with the rightist regime of President Ricardo Martinelli of Panama, the possibility of re-establishing a military base in the former Canal Zone. Together with the Fourth Fleet patrolling off shore, 20,000 troops in Haiti, and an airbase in Aruba, Washington has encircled Venezuela from the West and North, establishing jumping off positions for a direct intervention if the favorable internal circumstances arise.

Read More

 
Aug
11
2010
Posted by
editor
Comments

History, practicality reunite Colombia, Venezuela

This article was originally posted by Xinhua News

Colombia President Juan Manuel Santos and his Venezuelan counterpart Hugo Chavez agreed Tuesday to reestablish diplomatic relations after a long meeting in Santa Marta, a city on Colombia’s Caribbean coast.

What impressed the world was not only the two leaders walking shoulder to shoulder at a colonial-era residence where South American independence hero Simon Bolivar died in 1830, but also their description of bilateral relations as “brotherly countries.”

From a rupture on July 22 to the restoration, the dramatic change in bilateral relations in merely 19 days spoke of a truth — the two Andean countries are neighbors after all. Neighbors that share a deep historical and cultural origin, a long friendship and substantial common interests. Bitter disagreements and outside influence will not leave the two countries in a tense spot for long.

The mere choice of Santa Marta as the venue for the presidential meeting carried symbolic meaning. Both countries became Spanish colonies in the 16th century and have had similar experiences in fighting against colonial rule and striving for independence.

Chavez, who regards Bolivar as the inspiration of his socialist movement, said it was appropriate to mend fences at such a sacred place. During their meeting, both leaders quoted Bolivar several times as their inspiration, an reflection of the historic and cultural bonds between the neighbors.

Read More