hornepils said:
Was there not a story a couple of months back that went some way to show the "strength" of the so called alliance between Chavez and FARC?
Something about him being matey with FARC & organising the release of hostages and supplying some helicopters to go in and pick them up from the jungle in an attempt to show the world what a thoroughly jolly nice chap he was, whilst at the same time thumbing his nose at the Colombian government and (most importantly) the US for not being able to do it themselves.
If memory serves, he got completely ignored and was left standing on a heli-pad waiting for a phone call to say what to do next.
This latest thing sounds like him just trying to get yet more attention from the world media for effectively doing f*ck all, under the banner of South American solidarity in the face of capitalist/western intervention.
He eventually sorted out the release of 2 hostages just after Christmas. I think Chavez is an interesting lad, but like something from the pages of a Gabriel García Márquez novel (i.e. in fantasy land). I like the fact that he is releasing some of his country's resources to better the bulk of the population, but dislike his meddling in Peru/Bolivia/Chile/Colombia/Caribbean politics. What is clear that he is so deep with the FARC that he sees a successful attack on them as an attack on him.
The origin of his latest outrage is that the Colombians slotted a FARC commander (Raul Reyes) in an established FARC camp just over the border in Ecuador. Chavez has warned that any similar attacks in Venezuela will lead to war - is this an admission that he is supporting the FARC in Colombia?
It could go badly for the Colombians if they have to fight FARC, Venezuela and Ecuador....
However, maybe if Brazil come in, we might get a more balanced scrap
One for the fantasy war thread?