And let's not forget about Chavez and the FARC

Another story that is developing with an unusual pathos and morbidity is the collusion between Chavez and the FARC of Colombia. Having been kicked out from his mediator in the hostage situation, Chavez has been livid since then and is willing to bring Colombia and Venezuela to the brink of war to satisfy his wounded ego. That he made the mediation a show for him and Piedad Cordoba presidential ambitions does not seem to have crossed his mind as now Chavez has taken upon himself the right to speak on anything, "por que no te callas" withstanding.

It has taken all the skills and nerve of Colombian diplomacy to avoid an escalation to terrible consequences. For Venezuela that is as we are very dependent on Colombia for our food supply since everyday we produce less here. Besides if Chavez were to start a war with Colombia within days Colombian army would seize Zulia and Tachira and the war would be over. Look at the fat and corrupt military leaders promoted by Chavez and compare them with the lean Colombian leaders, with gloved hands and years of military training fighting the FARC.

Now the sick game is for the FARC to surrender three of the hostages to Chavez alone. And of course to try to turn international opinion to think that Chavez and Chavez alone can solve Colombia's problem. Besides demonstrating how low have the FARC fallen and how weakened they got under Uribe, it also shows how little some circles in the world care about Venezuela and Colombia. If one can perhaps forgive Ingrid Betancourt's husband Lecompte to say that he would be OK with Uribe resignation to see his wife free (he has a tattoo of her on his shoulder) one is much more worried about some strange bedfellows such as the French government who do not care what will happen to Venezuela and Colombia once they get Ingrid. Though fortunately the French seem to have wised up about Chavez since he showed empty handed at the Elysee Palace. Lately they have shown signs that a different mediator than Chavez might not be such a bad idea.

I did came across this raw but to the point editorial of IBD which says it all quite well, putting the finger on Chavez using the FARC and the hostages to try to weaken Uribe government. Let's not forget that this IS THE REAL INTEREST OF CHAVEZ, to bring down Colombia democracy as weak as that one might be. If Chavez did care about hostages and crime he would be busy solving the hundred of them taking place in Venezuela as I type. Is anyone in Venezuela or the world paying attention to the Venezuelan hostages? Or its political prisoners for that matter?

-The end-