Tension in South America: Columbia vs. Ecuador and Venezuela

[LUV]

Ecuador and Venezuela say they are moving thousands of troops to Colombia's borders, a day after Colombian forces killed a leftist rebel leader in Ecuadorean territory. Colombia later charged that high-ranking Ecuadorean officials met recently with the slain rebel, Raúl Reyes, to accommodate the guerrillas' presence there.

The developments raised tensions in a region that has been on edge in the several months since Colombian President Álvaro Uribe and Venezuela's Hugo Chávez had a bitter falling-out. Mr. Reyes was the second-ranking commander of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC.

At a news conference late Sunday, Colombian National Police director Oscar Naranjo said that files in three laptop computers recovered in a jungle camp a mile inside Ecuador, where Reyes's body was found, show that the rebel met Jan. 18 and Jan. 28 with Ecuadorean Interior Minister Gustavo Larrea to discuss several issues, including stationing Army and police officers "who were not hostile to the FARC."

Mr. Naranjo also said documents show that Mr. Larrea and Reyes discussed a meeting between Reyes and President Rafael Correa in which Reyes's "secure transport" would be guaranteed. "The questions posed by these documents merit a response from the Ecuadorean government," Naranjo said.

In a nationwide address late Sunday, President Correa rejected Colombia's apology for the incursion and said President Uribe lied when he told him Saturday that Reyes and 16 other FARC rebels were killed in hot pursuit.

"They were massacred," Correa said.

The FARC, Colombia's largest rebel group, has been locked in a 40-year war with that nation's government. It holds 700 hostages.

Earlier Sunday, Ecuador said it was moving additional troops to defend its northeastern border with Colombia, expelled Colombia's ambassador and recalled its own ambassador to Bogotá. Saturday's killing of Reyes was a "violation of the territorial integrity and legal system of Ecuador," a Foreign Ministry statement said.

Meanwhile, leftist Venezuelan President Chávez said he was sending troops to his country's border with Colombia.
SOURCE=YAHOO NEWS



WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THIS...?

Do you think that the USA will send troops to Columbia if a war does happen?

[Shdo]

i think colombia is right in this matter. if venezuela assist the rebels who attack colombia then can they really expect respect from colombia? didnt chavez closed all trade relations with colombia over a private matter? i dont like that guy and i think he stick his nose in places he shouldnt while blaming others at the same thing.

[Revan1990]

well I hope they calm down a little...another war wouldn't be...uhmm lets just say aggression and violence is no solution...or at least shouldn't be.

Do you think that the USA will send troops to Columbia if a war does happen?
well I dont think the USA will send any troops there, unless there is no oil or other precious raw materials...but maybe they try some diplomacy for a change...at least I hope so.

[Luhy]

I think they had every right to execute that guy... sounds kinda like us going after Osama, but they actually succeeded~ I think Bush would help... and send troops... but Obama or Hillary wouldn't... McCain... maybe, but he would know what to do if he felt it necessary~ sounds like Venezuela is helping them... with their barters and such... I can't say I'm very familiar with this topic though XP

[Shdo]

maybe there is no oil in colombia, but they are still allies and if they lose(unlikely) then in the chaos the drug dealers will florish and the US will be filled with drugs. in a way its an attack on america.


seriously i dont think that any country would allow another country to harbor people who attack them without retaliation.

[LUV]

I just hope that they can talk it over and work together to get rid of FARC... this group kills hundreds of people each day, they smuggle cocaine to USA, they kidnap innocent people, and they feel they are doing all this for a cause.

Personally, VENEZUELA need to butt out. Hugo Chavez need to shut his mouth for once and let Ecuador and Columbia settle this themselves. I understand that Columbia was wrong to go into Ecuador with no type of permission, but I'm sure that if USA learned that Bin Laden was in Canada, or Mexico, they wouldn't think twice before bombing his ass.

[Shdo]

those countries, ecuador and venezuela, should think very well about the reasons for that attack, harboring murderers is in my eyes a good reason for war so they should think carfully if its worth it. supporting farc at the chance for war that they would likely will lose.

[LUV]

I agree shdo, they are being stupid. They thought that no one would ever find out that they were helping FARC and I think that they are trying to make other countries see the whole border issue instead of seeing the BIG picture which is them helping FARC

[Shdo]

i checked it out and farc get their money from growing cocain, extortion, kidnapping and 'protection'.
from my expiriance dealing with people like those even when you only 'protect' them it comes back to bite you. do they really thinks that siding with drug dealers wont have effect on them? and on the rest of south america?

[LUV]

I think that Ecuador's President is bing manipulated by Hugo Chavez. Its so damn obvious that they have been aiding the FARC and I hope that Columbia shows the whole WORLD what they found in those computers so that everyone can see what a bunch of TRAITORS and BACKSTABERS Ecuador and Venezuela's presidents are

[Tsubaki88]

Personally, VENEZUELA need to butt out. Hugo Chavez need to shut his mouth for once and let Ecuador and Columbia settle this themselves.

As a Venezuelan,I feel ashamed and I couldn't agree more with you.I have seen Chavez face since like,10 years now,and people,one of the things that our President likes to do is Talk,Talk and TALK.He was like that in the elections of 1998 our country was in a difficult situation and then he came with a lot of "revolutionary" promises,a lot people believed him and now a lot of those promises were left in the air...I can't believe that people didn't even considered looking at Chavez background,they still voted for him,because they were desperate,they wanted a change...but years were passing,and he was doing nothing...people begin to get angry,then the oppostion was born,and the problems got bigger and bigger...

Now when you say that President Correa is being manipulated by Chavez,it actually doesn't sound strange to me...I mean,he's doing the same with the ones he calls "his people"here.Chavez may be very intelligent (he actually is), but when he gets angry,he does/say things that makes a lot of us look very bad,he really should stop what he's doing and focus here because...umm well...HE'S THE PRESIDENT?! we already have enough problems here like the extreme delinquency,the lack of milk and other kind of food in the stores,the classic corruption,homeless families and a lot more...FARC is a group of terrorists that have done a lot of damage and it's been years and years of this they should be stopped...yes,Colombia did wrong but I think Ecuador should reconsiderate things there's no need to go that far,FARC should release Ingrid Betancourt and the rest of the hostages and Chavez has to GTFO because the last thing we want here is a war,please...-___- and please,my deepest apologies for my english (i'm still learning:cry)

[LUV]

As a Venezuelan,I feel ashamed and I couldn't agree more with you.I have seen Chavez face since like,10 years now,and people,one of the things that our President likes to do is Talk,Talk and TALK.He was like that in the elections of 1998 our country was in a difficult situation and then he came with a lot of "revolutionary" promises,a lot people believe him and now a lot of those promises were left in the air...I can't believe that people didn't even considered looking at Chavez background,they still voted for him,because they were desperate,they wanted a change...but years were passing,and he was doing nothing...people begin to get angry,then the oppostion was born,and the problems got bigger and bigger...

Now when you say that President Correa is being manipulated by Chavez,it actually doesn't sound strange to me...I mean,he's doing the same with the ones he calls "his people"here.Chavez may be very intelligent (he actually is), but when he gets angry,he does/say things that makes a lot of us very bad,he really should stop what he's doing and focus here because...umm well...HE'S THE PRESIDENT?! we already have enough problems here like the extreme delinquency,the lack of milk and other kind of food in the stores,the classic corruption,homeless families and a lot more...FARC is a group of terrorists that have done a lot of damage and it's been years and years of this they should be stopped...yes,Colombia did wrong but I think Ecuador should reconsiderate things there's no need to go that far,FARC should release Ingrid Betancourt and the rest of the hostages and Chavez has to GTFO because the last thing we want here is a war,please...-___- and please,my deepest apologies for my english (i'm still learning:cry)


WOW.. I am happy to see someone here from VENEZUELA, I myself am from Honduras, even though is not quite South America, but everything that wants to get to USA goes through there.

Well, back to the subject, President Hugo Chavez is probably the worst president I have ever heard of lately. I watch the Venezuelan news channel RCN and I see how people have to line up for hours in order to get milk, meat and other goods. He is making Venezuela a CUBA. If he wants to be arrogant and not listen to his people, then the people need to get him the hell out.

If Columbia was to go to war, USA would be their ally, and I really don't think that the Ecuadorian people, or the Venezuelan people want that. USA is too strong, and not only that, but they will not be merciful towards Chavez because he talks so much SHIT about the USA.

Lets HOPE that Columbia and Ecuador can settle this, and if they don't, then lets hope that the people of those country can persuade those presidents to stand down.

By the way, Your english is great. I speak spanish too, so you can always ask me anything you want in spanish.

[Shdo]

i totaly forgat about the situation in venezuela, make me wonder how can he give millions of dollars to farc when his own people can use the money for much more important things.

and he made this presidant for life thing, how can any1 not see what that guy try to do?

as for supporting farc, since farc get their money from drugs dont he know that this drugs will also flood venezuela streets as well?

[cris]

@Tsubaki88: Not feel ashamed. Our leaders are not always worthy of respect and to be defended.
I think shameful what Chavez is doing with the Venezuelans.
I have hopes that the conflict end without war or damage to the larger countries.
As South America (Brazil) I am concerned about all this.

[Siren]

I think Chavez is massively contributing to the problem by butting into Ecuador and Colombia's affairs. He needs to butt out/callar and let Ecuador take care of its own business...the only way this can be properly dealt with is through diplomacy. Something Chavez needs to be educated in.

I feel sad for Venezuelens who have to put up with ese Chavez. Always quiere meter en los asuntos de la gente. I am Ecuadorian and I feel pity that Correa is being influenced by him >_< (Next thing you know, we'll change currency again, this time to Venezuela)

[LUV]

I think Chavez is massively contributing to the problem by butting into Ecuador and Colombia's affairs. He needs to butt out/callar and let Ecuador take care of its own business...the only way this can be properly dealt with is through diplomacy. Something Chavez needs to be educated in.

I feel sad for Venezuelens who have to put up with ese Chavez. Always quiere meter en los asuntos de la gente. I am Ecuadorian and I feel pity that Correa is being influenced by him >_< (Next thing you know, we'll change currency again, this time to Venezuela)


Yeah, I agree with you. I've been following this closely, and all I want is for Chavez to shut his mouth. Segun todo se resolvio, pero todavia sigen hablanco mal, and thats not going to help anyone. I think what Chavez wants is a war, and if he continues I think that his own people are going to turn against him and get him off power. I hope they do, everyone deserves freedom and peace and its men like those that make it impossible.

Go VENEZUELA, come together as a country as get that ass hole off power.

Go ECUADOR, let your president know that you will not stand beside him if he is helping out el FARC... show him that you don't want a war..

Go COLUMBIA, show the World that you are not weak, and that you will not put up with CHAVEZ, take him to court and put him in jail.......


DOWN WITH CHAVEZ

[Siren]

~Luv, truer words have never been spoken :cry

(The leader of Spain had it right when he told Chavez to blow off :rofl)