02 March 2008

Chávez Ordered the Closing of Venezuela's Embassy in Bogotá and Reinforces the Military on the Border with Columbia

This Sunday the President of Venezuela, Hugo Chávez, ordered the definitive closure of Venezuela's embasy in Bogotá and reinforced the military on the border with Columbia, after the incursion of Ecuador by Colombian forces during the morning Saturday in a surprise operation which ended in the deaf of Raúl Reyes, commander of the FARC.

"I order the immediate return of all our embassy personal from Bogotá. That our embassy be closed and all of our officials return," said Chávez.

The Venezuelan chief executive reacted considering the possibility that the government of Columbia might violate the sovereignty of Venezuela as it did to Ecuador.

"The minister of Defense is ordered to move 10 battalions to the border with Columbia immediately. battalions of tanks, and air force are to be deployed. We don't want war but we are not going to permit the American imperialists, who are the master and the President of Columbia Álvaro Uribe who is the lapdog, and the oligarchy of Columbia to divide us, to weaken us. Continued Chávez.

Chávez offered all the support necessary to Ecuador in their diplomatic Columbia.

" I am putting Venezuela on alert and will support Ecuador in whatever circumstances," said Chávez.

Ecuador is also closing its embassy in Bogotá according to President Rafael Correa in a public address Saturday night.

He described Columbia's killing of Raúl Reyes as a "cowardly assassination."

Accordingly Venezuela will not attend any meeting in Columbia including the next meeting of Union of South American Nations (UNASUR).

He described the death of Reyes at the hands of the Columbian military a cowardly assassination.

"There was no combat. It was a cowardly assassination . . . Totally coldblooded and calculated. The truth will out." He said.

Reyes was "massacred" along with various of his guerrillas sleeping in an improvised camp located two kilometers inside Ecuador by a surprise aerial attack by Columbian, according the President of that country Rafael Correa.

From Telesur
Original Spanish Version

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