Angry Chavez Terminates All Relations With U.S. Ally Columbia And Spain
CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) - President Hugo Chavez said Sunday he is putting relations with Colombia “in the freezer” after its president ended the Venezuelan leader’s role mediating with leftist rebels in the neighboring country.
Chavez said economic relations will be hurt, blaming actions by Colombia’s U.S.-allied President Alvaro Uribe that he said were “a spit in the face.”
“I declare before the world that I’m putting relations with Colombia in the freezer because I’ve completely lost confidence with everyone in the Colombian government,” Chavez said during a televised speech.
Addressing Cabinet ministers and military officials, Chavez said: “Everyone should be alert in relation to Colombia—economic relations—the businesses Colombians have here and the businesses we have there. Commercial relations, all of that is going to be harmed. It’s lamentable.”
Chavez was responding to Uribe’s decision to cancel his mediation with Colombian rebels, preliminary talks aimed at a prisoner swap that would free rebel-held hostages, including three Americans. Uribe’s spokesman said Chavez had defied the Colombian president by directly contacting his army chief to discuss the issue.
The Venezuelan leader said a statement issued by Uribe’s government giving its reasons for ending his mediation was “filled with lies.”
“I really, truly believe that the Colombian government doesn’t want peace,” Chavez said.
Chavez said he was particularly irked that Uribe had his officials issue statements instead of contacting the Venezuelan leader directly.
“Why don’t do you show your face?” Chavez said. “President Uribe is lying … in a shameless, horrible, ugly way. I think Colombia deserves another president, it deserves a better president.”
Chavez in August joined Colombian lawmakers in a new push to free hostages held by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, better known as FARC. Prisoners include three U.S. military contractors and Ingrid Betancourt, a French-Colombian seized in 2002 while campaigning for Colombia’s presidency.
The two South American countries are major trading partners, and the spat with Colombia comes amid another dispute with Spain that could affect Spanish businesses with major investments in Venezuela. Chavez has demanded Spanish King Juan Carlos apologize for telling him to shut up publicly during a recent summit in Chile.
Chavez said the situation with Colombia is similar.
“It’s like the case of Spain: Until the king of Spain apologizes, I’m freezing relations with Spain too” he said.
Chavez and Uribe are polar opposites politically.
Since taking office in 2002, the conservative Uribe has fought to crush Colombia’s peasant-based rebel army with $4 billion in U.S. military aid.
The socialist Chavez has meanwhile railed against U.S. involvement in the region and called for Uribe to negotiate peace with Colombian guerrillas.
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this guy is like a cartoon, but he still needs to have an ‘accident’
November 25th, 2007 at 3:55 pmI think that a “inadvertent leak” of video showing him in some compromising sexual situations just might get him to hang it up and quit being a parody of a dictator.
November 25th, 2007 at 4:30 pmBreaking relations with poisonous Communust dictators, in the long run, is a very good thing. Vayanse al Infierno Senor Chavez.
November 25th, 2007 at 4:46 pmSheesh……..what a grouch!
He brought it on himself..can’t say I feel sorry for the fat bastard!
November 25th, 2007 at 5:26 pmChavez is digging his own grave.
November 25th, 2007 at 8:23 pmThis is great news, now he needs to be removed from power.
November 25th, 2007 at 9:51 pmCono su madre, hijo de puta. I don’t think Chavez has to worry about the US, its the Colombianos he has to look over his shoulder for. Strategically stupid to alienate your next door neighbor. Hugo is getting full of himself and is losing his clarity, ha ha.
November 26th, 2007 at 12:32 amso, if Chavez can’t drink coca-cola, neither coffee, what kind of “dope” does he has left ?
November 26th, 2007 at 2:35 amhugo my man, give in, you cretin. Pissing off the columbians is not a mucho smart thing: who has the coffee and the coke?
November 26th, 2007 at 3:38 amWhere are the “people” gonna get theirstuff from? Cuba?
Anyway you retard from the communist world, Aussies (at least this one) think you are just a fat blowbag, a wart hog and a puffer fish , all hair warts and spines, and poisonous as well. We dont want anything from you and anyway if we did you cant sent it to us cause the Panama Canal is operated by you know who and you dont like them and you wont pay the dues.
Suffer prick.The staving ones will excact their own revenge sooner or later, amadinnerjacket or feeble old castro wont lift a finger to help, theyll just wave 2 in your general direction. I hope it is slow and painful
His ego is just off the charts.
He is so full of himself that he has actually been bullying everyone everywhere he goes and he has gotten away with it until the King of Spain told him off.
Personally I was thrilled when I heard that because I know so many had been sitting there wanting to say the same thing but did not have the courage.
Spain and Columbia should tell him to F off in no uncertain terms. National pride and not supporting another dictatorship are more important than money.
Sean Penn your such a retard!
November 26th, 2007 at 5:01 am