Colombian, Venezuelan presidents to discuss diplomatic crisis

[bemildred]

CARACAS, Feb. 14 (Xinhuanet) -- Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and his Colombian counterpart Alvaro Uribe will hold a meeting on Tuesday in an effort to end a diplomatic crisis triggered by the disputed capture of a Colombian rebel.

The Venezuelan Foreign Ministry said on Monday that the summit,postponed on Feb. 3 due to health problems suffered by Uribe, willbe held.

Last Sunday, the Colombian leader announced at Cargatena, northColombia, his plan to travel to Caracas, Venezuela's capital, on Tuesday to end the conflict resulting from the kidnapping of the so-called foreign minister of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, Rodrigo Granda, in mid-December.

The first attempt to solve the diplomatic crisis took place on Jan. 29, with the issuing of joint communiques.

Xinhua

Also here:

La Prensa

[LeaderlessResistance]

1. Venezuela Dispute

Russia Defends Chavez Arms Deal


Russian officials on Friday rejected U.S. objections to Moscow’s plans to sell automatic rifles and helicopters to Venezuela.

“U.S. protests should be viewed as nothing but a dishonest form of competition and an attempt to squeeze Russian producers from the arms market,” Interfax quoted a senior official in the Russian military-industrial complex as saying.

Apart from the purchase of 100,000 Kalashnikov guns and helicopters under an arms pact announced last year by Venezuela’s President Hugo Chavez, Venezuela is also evaluating Russian MiG-29 fighters.

Chavez, like many other foreign leaders, has strained relations with Washington.


Full story:

http://www.mosnews.com/news/2005/02/11/chavez.shtml

[Say_What]

2. A bit more from Prensa Latina, but not a peep from the USSA press

Because of Rice's hostile remarks and the ratcheting up yet again of sabre rattling from Uncle Sam against Chavez, it's important to watch what's happening between the two countries. Uribe, US bought-and-paid for lap dog, receives hundreds of $millions US military support yearly and it's been said that Colombia may become like Israel--watchdog for the Southern Cone as Israel is in the Middle East. Uribe's connectin to BushCo makes this situation even more difficult to read. After Egypt, Israel and Colombia are the largest recipients of US military aid--despite Colombia's worst in the hemisphere record of human rights. Unfortunatley, in the free and democratic USSA we get virtually NO news of Colombia and only negative propaganda about Venezuela.

<clips>

...Venezuela denounced Granda´s abduction as a violation of its sovereignty and international law. Chavez demanded Uribe´s excuse for what happened.

Every day for weeks there were statements and revelations from ministers, military and police officials, as well as Congressional representatives and leaders of social movements. Countless intellectuals have written and signed petitions, some seeing the kidnapping as a CIA plot to destabilize Chavez´ government.

The presidential summit today will try to put an end to the incident and normalize the situation on the common border.

http://www.plenglish.com/article.asp?ID={159933A6-5F97-4BB5-AD08-5E01C74922E9}&language=EN

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<clips>
COHA wrote about the Colombia-Venezuela troubles in December that gives some background on what's happening there.

• Illusionary charges, such as the Colombian Defense Minister’s allegation that the FARC had a plan in place to assassinate President Bush during his recent visit to Cartagena, will accompany White House strategy to augment its militarized policies in the region.

• Recent high-level meetings between Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez and Colombian President Alvaro Uribe, the latest occurring in Cartagena on November 9, demonstrate each country’s commitment towards improving economic cooperation between the two neighbors.

• Despite the clear and deep ideological divide that exists between the two governments, the blame for their past disjointed relations lies with extremist elements in both countries, as well as a streak of inflammatory rhetoric emanating from Washington.

• The burgeoning economic alliance between Caracas and Bogotá underline Chavez’s and Uribe’s pragmatic belief that the benefits resulting from increased trade and investment between the two countries outweigh the worth of the salvos of hostile rhetoric coming from hardliners in each of the three countries.

• Economic realities and prevailing political winds blowing through the continent, and not their personal standing with Washington, are likely to determine whether both presidents will win a second term.

• With the State Department stewardship now passing to Bush confidante and echo Condoleezza Rice, Washington likely will continue to emerge as an even more disruptive force towards Venezuela – Colombia relations than before. Washington can be counted on to attempt to further isolate the Chavez government and provide additional funding for the increased militarization of Uribe’s Plan Colombia.

http://www.coha.org/NEW_PRESS_RELEASES/New_Press_Releases_2004/04.88%20Venezuela-Colombia%20the%20one.htm

[LeaderlessResistance]

3. U.S. policies to Latin America

Bolivian and Venezuelan Resistance is widespread to US government attempts to extend and consolidate imperial control of Latin America's resources on behalf of giant multinational corporations.

[LeaderlessResistance]

4. America's South American Policies

The discredited government of Sanchez de Lozada, (George Bush's man in La Paz), facilitated 78 natural gas concessions for foreign companies before popular outrage at the waste of national resources forced him out of office.

[Say_What]

5. Goni--forgot about him--the Bolivian pres with the gringo accent

Welcome to DU, LeaderlessResistance!! :hi:


They're looking to try him for the murders of the protestors, but he doesn't think he'd get a fair trial. LOL