Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said on 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.
The announcement drew a strong rebuke from Colombian President Alvaro Uribe, who said Chavez's actions suggest he wants to see a "terrorist government" run by leftist rebels in Bogota. Uribe also suggested Chavez might want to stir up conflict to boost his image ahead of a referendum on constitutional changes at the weekend.
The spat was the bitterest yet between Chavez and the US-allied Uribe. The two had previously sought to cultivate cordial ties despite their 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."
"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 in a televised speech.
He later described relations between the two governments as being in "a crisis."
But he said he did not want to break ties with Bogota, saying that will depend on Colombia.
Chavez was responding to Uribe's decision on Wednesday to end Chavez's role mediating preliminary talks with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). The talks were aimed at freeing rebel-held hostages, including three US military contractors 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 called Chavez's motives into question.
"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 at a townhall meeting in the town of Calamar. "The truth is, President Chavez, we need a mediation against terrorism, not people who legitimize terrorism."
Uribe suggested Chavez's harsh criticism of his government might be part of an attempt to build up public support before a referendum on Sunday to decide changes to Venezuela's Constitution, which would allow Chavez run for re-election indefinitely.
The confrontation marks a sharp break for two leaders who have often appeared together smiling. Just last month, the two opened a natural gas pipeline between their countries, pledging to boost ties.
But on Sunday, Chavez told his ministers and military officials to "be on alert."
"Commercial relations, all of that is going to be harmed. It's lamentable," he said, warning it could affect "the businesses Colombians have here."
Chavez accused Uribe of lying and acting under pressure from the US and the Colombian "extreme right."
The spat comes amid another dispute with Spain that could affect Spanish businesses with major investments in Venezuela.
Chavez has demanded that Spanish King Juan Carlos apologize for telling him to shut up publicly during a recent summit held 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," Chavez said.
"President Chavez, the truth is you can't set fire to the continent like you do, talking one day against Spain, the next day against the United States ... You can't mistreat the continent, lighting it up like you do and speaking of imperialism when you -- based on your budget -- want to create an empire," Uribe replied.
Kehinde Sanni spends his days smoothing out dents and repainting scratched bumpers in a modest autobody shop in Lagos. He has never left Nigeria, yet he speaks glowingly of Burkina Faso military leader Ibrahim Traore. “Nigeria needs someone like Ibrahim Traore of Burkina Faso. He is doing well for his country,” Sanni said. His admiration is shaped by a steady stream of viral videos, memes and social media posts — many misleading or outright false — portraying Traore as a fearless reformer who defied Western powers and reclaimed his country’s dignity. The Burkinabe strongman swept into power following a coup in September 2022
‘FRAGMENTING’: British politics have for a long time been dominated by the Labor Party and the Tories, but polls suggest that Reform now poses a significant challenge Hard-right upstarts Reform UK snatched a parliamentary seat from British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Labor Party yesterday in local elections that dealt a blow to the UK’s two establishment parties. Reform, led by anti-immigrant firebrand Nigel Farage, won the by-election in Runcorn and Helsby in northwest England by just six votes, as it picked up gains in other localities, including one mayoralty. The group’s strong showing continues momentum it built up at last year’s general election and appears to confirm a trend that the UK is entering an era of multi-party politics. “For the movement, for the party it’s a very, very big
ENTERTAINMENT: Rio officials have a history of organizing massive concerts on Copacabana Beach, with Madonna’s show drawing about 1.6 million fans last year Lady Gaga on Saturday night gave a free concert in front of 2 million fans who poured onto Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro for the biggest show of her career. “Tonight, we’re making history... Thank you for making history with me,” Lady Gaga told a screaming crowd. The Mother Monster, as she is known, started the show at about 10:10pm local time with her 2011 song Bloody Mary. Cries of joy rose from the tightly packed fans who sang and danced shoulder-to-shoulder on the vast stretch of sand. Concert organizers said 2.1 million people attended the show. Lady Gaga
SUPPORT: The Australian prime minister promised to back Kyiv against Russia’s invasion, saying: ‘That’s my government’s position. It was yesterday. It still is’ Left-leaning Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese yesterday basked in his landslide election win, promising a “disciplined, orderly” government to confront cost-of-living pain and tariff turmoil. People clapped as the 62-year-old and his fiancee, Jodie Haydon, who visited his old inner Sydney haunt, Cafe Italia, surrounded by a crowd of jostling photographers and journalists. Albanese’s Labor Party is on course to win at least 83 seats in the 150-member parliament, partial results showed. Opposition leader Peter Dutton’s conservative Liberal-National coalition had just 38 seats, and other parties 12. Another 17 seats were still in doubt. “We will be a disciplined, orderly
RSS