Chavez freezes Colombia ties

CARACAS – Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said yesterday that reconciliation is impossible with Colombia’s president as the two leaders traded stern warnings in an escalating diplomatic crisis that threatens trade ties between the South American neighbours.

Chavez said on Sunday he is putting relations ‘in the freeze’ after President Alvaro Uribe ended the Venezuelan leader’s role mediating with Colombia’s leftist rebels. That announcement drew a strong rebuke from Uribe, who said Chavez’s actions suggest he wants to see a ‘terrorist government’ run by leftist rebels in Bogota.The spat is the bitterest yet between Chavez and the US-allied Uribe, who in the past have sought to cultivate cordial ties despite their deep ideological differences.It could have serious economic consequences.The two countries are major commercial partners, with US$4,1 billion in trade last year, about two-thirds of that in Colombian exports to Venezuela.Neither leader announced any concrete plan, but Chavez said economic relations will be hurt as a result of Uribe’s actions, which he called ‘a spit in the face’.Relations with Colombia have reached their ‘most serious crisis’, Chavez said in a televised interview early yesterday.While diplomatic channels may remain open, he said, “not reconciliation because it’s impossible now.When it reaches these levels between two heads of state, it’s impossible.””We’ll have to wait for a new government in Colombia we can talk with,” Chavez said on state television.”I hope it arrives sooner than later.”He said Venezuela will be on alert to potential military threats from Colombia as well.Chavez was responding to Uribe’s decision last Wednesday to end Chavez’s role mediating preliminary talks with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, better known as the FARC.The talks aimed to free rebel-held hostages including three Americans and Ingrid Betancourt, a French-Colombian seized in 2002 while campaigning for Colombia’s presidency.Uribe’s government said Chavez broke the conditions of his involvement by directly contacting the chief of Colombia’s army.On Sunday, Uribe questioned Chavez’s motives.”Your words, your attitudes, give the impression that you aren’t interested in peace in Colombia, but rather that Colombia be a victim of a terrorist government of the FARC,” he said in the town of Calamar.”The truth is President Chavez, we need a mediation against terrorism, not people who legitimise terrorism.”Chavez has suggested that FARC rebels could eventually put down their guns and join politics.But Uribe said addressing Chavez: “If you are spreading an expansionist project in the continent, in Colombia this project will make no headway.”Uribe also suggested the socialist leader might be looking to stir up conflict to boost his image ahead of a referendum on Sunday on constitutional changes that would let him run for re-election indefinitely.Nampa-APThat announcement drew a strong rebuke from Uribe, who said Chavez’s actions suggest he wants to see a ‘terrorist government’ run by leftist rebels in Bogota.The spat is the bitterest yet between Chavez and the US-allied Uribe, who in the past have sought to cultivate cordial ties despite their deep ideological differences.It could have serious economic consequences.The two countries are major commercial partners, with US$4,1 billion in trade last year, about two-thirds of that in Colombian exports to Venezuela.Neither leader announced any concrete plan, but Chavez said economic relations will be hurt as a result of Uribe’s actions, which he called ‘a spit in the face’.Relations with Colombia have reached their ‘most serious crisis’, Chavez said in a televised interview early yesterday.While diplomatic channels may remain open, he said, “not reconciliation because it’s impossible now.When it reaches these levels between two heads of state, it’s impossible.””We’ll have to wait for a new government in Colombia we can talk with,” Chavez said on state television.”I hope it arrives sooner than later.”He said Venezuela will be on alert to potential military threats from Colombia as well.Chavez was responding to Uribe’s decision last Wednesday to end Chavez’s role mediating preliminary talks with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, better known as the FARC.The talks aimed to free rebel-held hostages including three Americans and Ingrid Betancourt, a French-Colombian seized in 2002 while campaigning for Colombia’s presidency.Uribe’s government said Chavez broke the conditions of his involvement by directly contacting the chief of Colombia’s army.On Sunday, Uribe questioned Chavez’s motives.”Your words, your attitudes, give the impression that you aren’t interested in peace in Colombia, but rather that Colombia be a victim of a terrorist government of the FARC,” he said in the town of Calamar.”The truth is President Chavez, we need a mediation against terrorism, not people who legitimise terrorism.”Chavez has suggested that FARC rebels could eventually put down their guns and join politics.But Uribe said addressing Chavez: “If you are spreading an expansionist project in the continent, in Colombia this project will make no headway.”Uribe also suggested the socialist leader might be looking to stir up conflict to boost his image ahead of a referendum on Sunday on constitutional changes that would let him run for re-election indefinitely.Nampa-AP