Chavez Wants Blockade Of Colombian Imports

Move Ups Risk Of Food Shortages As Venezuela, Ecuador, Ratchet Up Rhetoric

(CBS/AP)  Venezuela is starting to block billions of dollars in Colombian imports and investment under orders from President Hugo Chavez, threatening economic havoc in both nations in response to a Colombian military attack on rebels hiding in Ecuador.

Chavez and Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa demanded international condemnation of Colombia's U.S.-allied government on Wednesday night, while Chavez predicted a sharp fall in the $6 billion annual Colombia-Venezuela trade: "That's coming down."

"We aren't interested in Colombian investments here," Chavez said, standing beside Correa. "Of the Colombian businesses that are here in Venezuela, we could nationalize some."

He said Venezuela will search for products from other countries to replace those from Colombia. Noting that Colombia traditionally supplies food to Venezuela, he said now "we can't depend on them, not even for a grain of rice."

Though Venezuelan officials express confidence they will quickly find replacements for Colombian goods, government critics say the move is bound to worsen shortages of basic foods from milk to chicken that were an annoyance in Venezuela well before a dispute that has ballooned into one of South America's most serious diplomatic crises in years.

Venezuela and Ecuador have each sent thousands of soldiers to their borders with Colombia. Colombian President Alvaro Uribe said Wednesday he would not mobilize troops.

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Thursday that the United States wants to see a diplomatic solution. The United States offered unqualified support to Colombia in the dispute, in contrast to almost every other country in the hemisphere.

"I do hope there will be a diplomatic outcome to this," Rice said in Belgium. "The situation shows that everyone needs to be vigilant about the use of border areas by terrorist organizations."

One opportunity will be a meeting of the Rio Group, which began with ministerial meetings Thursday in the Dominican Republic. At least 12 Latin American presidents - including those from Colombia, Venezuela and Ecuador - are expected to meet Friday.

Bolivian Foreign Minister David Choquehuanca said the ministers would "see what we can do to help find a peaceful solution to this conflict through dialogue," although he added: "Solutions don't come overnight."

The Organization of American States on Wednesday approved a watered-down resolution calling Colombia's cross-border raid Saturday on the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia camp a violation of Ecuador's sovereignty. It was sending a top-level delegation to help ease tensions, but stopped short of explicitly condemning the attack.

Chavez and Correa warned Wednesday night that the crisis would not end without clear, explicit international condemnation of the raid.

"The OAS resolution pleases us. We are pleased, but not satisfied," Correa said as he visited Chavez in Caracas. "This isn't going to cool down until the aggressor is condemned."

People prepared for marches Thursday in major Colombian and Latin American cities, as well as in the United States and Europe, to condemn Colombia's right-wing paramilitaries, which were formed to counter the guerrilla threat but grew into a threat of their own. The marches come a month after similar anti-guerrilla marches that drew millions into the streets.

Chavez called the attack by Colombia's U.S.-allied government a "war crime." The bombing and raid killed a top rebel leader, Raul Reyes, and 23 other guerrilla fighters who had set up a base just over a mile from the border inside Ecuador.

Colombia has accused both Chavez and Correa of ties with the leftist rebels, and said that was shown by documents found on a laptop seized at the bombed rebel camp. Chavez laughed as he dismissed the accusations Wednesday.

Other documents released by Colombia suggest Reyes was secretly negotiating with representatives of France and other European nations to win freedom for hostages including French-Colombian politician Ingrid Betancourt and three American defense contractors.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy appealed directly to the rebels in an interview broadcast Wednesday night on Colombia's RCN television. He said Betancourt's release could persuade countries to no longer consider the FARC a terror group.

"If they let Ingrid Betancourt die, of course, there will be no discussion about that," he said in comments dubbed over in Spanish. "If they free Ingrid Betancourt, maybe some place in the world will see them a little differently."

[irliberal]

I think vista meant "buffoon".

[luigi999-2009]

We should really do the world a favor and do away with the maniac Chavez. He''s a cancer that needs eradication. Enough of this dumb loser.

[robertkjjj]

Someone needs to tie down Chavez spread-eagle and stuff his "war crimes" where the sun don''t shine. What a total tool this as*swipe is.

[robertkjjj]

How completely embarassed the Venezuelan people must be to have this fat pig loudmouth idiot as their leader. Once a great people and country, and now they have to deal with this freak.

[singingrick]

We bought the tanks and guns that Chavez now uses to threaten his neighbors. We funded Al Qaeda, Hamas, Iran in all their terrorist activities.

How?

By buying their oil.

It''s time we moved away from oil and developed the sustainable energy technologies that are already available to us now.

[ontheleft]

''Colombia''s U.S.-supported military''

Do we even have any spare soldiers to send down there to bail out this drug producing friend?

Not to worry. The most that will probably come out of all this bluster is $150 a barrel oil.

[libsrweak]

hurry it up..IF YOU WANT WAR..START THE WAR...RAISE THE PRICE OF OIL..SO EVEN THE STAUNCHEST LIBERAL SUPPORTER WOULD GET PISSSED OFF..

maybe by then they would stop driving thier cards to a ''no war for oil'' protest

[zootallures2]

So much for theatening drug dealers to invest in US and A. Maybe the FARC don''t want to invest in a Tom Delay/Indian Casino type deal.

[keithle1]

Keep Canada & USA. Get rid of every country south of us. Of course if we did that who would pick our tomatoes, clean our offices & babysit our brats?

YOU?

[joyous88]

war criminal? joining the ranks of GW Bush and the republicans thats all.

[joyous88]

rebertkjjj-, are you talking about the first bush or the second bush,

I am quessing that you mean GW Bush, war criminal

[rowdytexan2]

We should really do the world a favor and do away with the maniac Chavez. He''''s a cancer that needs eradication. Enough of this dumb loser.


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Posted by Luigi999 at 01:02 AM : Mar 06, 2008

Oh yeah, just like we did Saddam. We should just go blow up every other world leader that doesn''t agree with us.

Good luck with that!

[hwy71so]

"...that doesn''''t agree with us.

Posted by RowdyTexan2 at 08:26 AM : Mar 06, 2008"

You really don''t know anything about Iraq, do you? There was MORE than disagreement there. How many times do you have to be reminded that Saddam murdered his own people? How many times that Saddam violated UN directives? Do some research on how Saddam handled the Kurds. No WMDs? Did Saddam not invade a smaller, weaker country merely to add it to his acerage and oil production? And look what he did to the oil wells when he was pushed back.

Come on man, look at the facts, not the media spin!

I''m fully convinced that if HW Bush or Clinton would have pursued Hussein earlier, that the twin towers would still be standing. It is because of all the backing down we did leading up to 9/11 that gave the Al Qaeda the confidence that they could pull it off. And, they did. And when they did Saddam sang his praises of their actions.

Just like now in Columbia. If you stand by and allow terrorist factions a free rein, they WILL gain confidence and they WILL grow and press even harder against the door. Nip it in the bud!

[jwind11]

Come on man, look at the facts, not the media spin!


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Posted by Hwy71So at 08:49 AM : Mar 06, 2008

hwy71, you don''t get it, the libs on here don''t care about facts, they care about spinning everything to make bush look bad, it makes them feel better about their pathetic lot in life. facts don''t have anything to do with anything to them. I am not making this up, some of these loser libs actually bad mouthed bush on the story about clemens and steroids. just an fyi.

[lorinkundert]

Let''s put this in the right perspective, Venezuela is financing the terrorists, Ecuador is providing the terrorists a safe haven.

Looks pretty clear who the criminals are to me.

[starkx6-2009]

jh6379,
What is your definition of a neocon?

[beehive21-2009]

You people are illogical.hugo has learned from the Iranians rattle the sword = higher oil prices.So ,who is putting him up to it ? Texchev ? they made 44 bill and our pres, has not even enacted a tariff on the windfall $$$ all other pres prior have ? Prices will go down once the oil co leaves the presidency.World tension shall follow.

[starkx6-2009]

jh6379,
Thank you for the clarification. Your definition speaks volumes about your feelings. How have these "neocons" wronged you? This is an open forum. All are invited to give inputs.

[notblue]

sounds like the true proof of war crimes were found on the captured laptop. Chavez is just another thug dictator who''s end will be just as typical.

[killtheliars]

Hhhuuummmm, lets see the leading product exported to the U.S. from Venezuala is oil, the leading product exported from Columbia to the U.S. is coffee, oh no that right it is not coffee it is cocaine, yet we hate Venezuala but like Columbia.
Also it is bad when FARC traffics drugs to the U.S. but it is ok when the C.I.A. (we all remeber the Iran Contra thing where the CIA was traffic coke inot the U.S.) does it is is ok.
Makes alot of sense doesn''t it.

[killtheliars]

singinrick,

So if you harbor terrorists you deserve to be attacked right?

Well then I guess Cuba has a right to attack us here in the U.S.
"Terrorist Cuban Exile Luis Posada Carriles Seeking Political Asylum in U.S.

A chief terrorist with long ties to US intelligence agencies is seeking asylum in the United States. The FBI has evidence linking him to an airline bombing that killed 73 people. We%u2019re talking about the notorious militant Cuban exile: Luis Posada Carriles.
Posada has been connected to the 1976 downing of a civilian airliner that killed 73 passengers%u2013the first act of airline terrorism in the Western hemisphere. He has also been linked to a series of 1997 bombings of hotels, restaurants, and discotheques in Havana that killed an Italian tourist; as well as a plot to assassinate Castro five years ago. He has been jailed in Venezuela and Panama. He was last seen in Honduras. Earlier this month he was said to have slipped into Miami. His newly-retained attorney has now requested asylum for him. In response, Venezuela%u2019s Supreme Court ruled that the government should seek his extradition from the United States to face terrorism charges."

[easeup-2009]

Is it just me or does Chavez look like Jerry Mathers (aka the Beaver) with a nice tan?

[killtheliars]

No Rick wrong again.

"They sneak into our country because of our illegal immigration problem that has yet to be resolved, we don''''t willingly welcome them."

With his CIA contacts it is no wonder the judge refused to extradite him.

On September 28, 2005 a U.S. immigration judge ruled that Posada cannot be deported because he faced the threat of torture in Venezuela. The Venezuelan government reacted angrily to the ruling, accusing the US of having a "double standard in its so-called war on terrorism".

I don''t hate America, but I look for the truth no matter who it hurts. You cannot have it both ways, either blowing up a plane is a terrorsit act or it is not.

This guy is living safely in the U.S. and Bush refused to extradite him. That is a double standard and it is not acceptable. Further more starting wars and lying (department of disinformation) to protect corporations is also not acceptable. This is what this administration has been doing for the last 7 years.

[quetzal0666]

Repubs dont like chavez because he is standing up to
Bush''s Shoeshine boy, alvaro Uribe.....

[stevex47]

singinrick is right about his black/white view of life. You''re either a kool-aid drinker, or you''re the enemy. Life is so simple for him that way. It hasn''t helped Shrub that much though. With the world hating him and all.

[killtheliars]

I think another part of singinrick''s problem is he is from Ohio, the Dayton area more specifically. With the economy in Ohio being in such bad shape thanks to Bush it is making people delusional. I think Rixk got laid off when the auto plant he worked in shut down, that is why he sits home all day going from board to board.

[antoniof123]

"What is your definition of a neocon?"
Posted by starkx6

In short...greedy little scum sucking creatures who want to police the world.

Posted by jh6379 at 10:25 AM : Mar 06, 2008

You missed pervet.

[jwind11]

You missed pervet.


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Posted by antoniof123 at 12:40 PM : Mar 06, 2008

what''s pervet?

[tomanyt]

Who knew singinrick could post anything other than bible scriptures. He''s still wrong, but at least it isn''t a bible scripture.

[lorinkundert]

When all is said and done, what business is it to Chavez what happens in Ecuador? There is more to this than meets the eye, and it''s reminiscent of the Nazi days when the party had to demonize someone to hold power.

[jimmyc1955]

I never saw a real honest leftist dictator that didn''t want to try out his military. It''s a two for one deal. You get to play general with your very own toy army and you may get to take over a neighbor. Anybody complains - arrest them, kidnap them or just shoot them.

It worked in the USSR, North Korea, China, Viet Nam and Cuba (had toe export their military - hard to take over a neighbor when you live on an island) and now Hugo is going to give it a whirl.

I live the fact that he is going to cut of his nations most important food supplier. Wonder how the guys in the slums who so loved him 5 years ago think of him now when his kids don''t have much to eat.

[jimmyc1955]

I think the unmentioned link here is:

Marxist - leader - dictator - expansionist - militarist

I am not aware of an expection to this yet. Though a few smaller versions never got to execute on th militarist vision - Albania for example.

I think Chavez may be using the to circumvent the will of the Venezuelan people. He will suspend the constitution, declare a state of emergency and never drop it. That makes him dictator for life, which is what he wants.

[jimmyc1955]

Wait - this just in.

Russian arrest in Thailand accused of selling arms to FARC - Russia sells arms to Venezuela and Ecuador -

do I see a link here?

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/03/06/world/main3913813.shtml

[jimmyc1955]

Wait - this just in.

Russian arrest in Thailand accused of selling arms to FARC - Russia sells arms to Venezuela and Ecuador -

do I see a link here?

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/03/06/world/main3913813.shtml

[sevenveils]

Chavez is really upset his best friend in FARC was killed.
Mot only is he rattling sabers, he is getting in to international affairs of which he has no concern.

[louiville2]

nancy_naive,

here is a new book and fresher take on the science.

http://shop.wnd.com/store/item.asp?DEPARTMENT_ID=6&SUBDEPARTMENT_ID=20&ITEM_ID=2285

"Modern liberalism''s irrationality can only be understood as the product of psychopathology. So extravagant are the patterns of thinking, emoting, behaving and relating that characterize the liberal mind that its relentless protests and demands become understandable only as disorders of the psyche." "The Liberal Mind" reveals the madness of the modern liberal for what it is: a massive transference neurosis acted out in the world''s political arenas, with devastating effects on the institutions of liberty.



"Based on strikingly irrational beliefs and emotions, modern liberals relentlessly undermine the most important principles on which our freedoms were founded," says Dr. Lyle Rossiter, author of the new book, "The Liberal Mind: The Psychological Causes of Political Madness." "Like spoiled, angry children, they rebel against the normal responsibilities of adulthood and demand that a parental government meet their needs from cradle to grave."

[luigi999-2009]

The world needs to do away with the insane Chavez.

[quetzal0666]

singinchick, any time a latin country gives the middle
finger to the SHRUB, i am happy!!!!
if that offends you as well then i just got 2 birds with 1 stone..

[ajmarine1]

Reyes was accused by the US Department of State and the Colombian government of expanding FARC''s cocaine trafficking activities and setting related policies, including the production, manufacture, and distribution of hundreds of tons of cocaine to the United States and other countries.[3] He was accused of promoting the "taxation" of the illegal drug trade in Colombia to raise funds for the FARC,[4] as well as participating in the murder of hundreds of people who violated or interfered with the FARC''s cocaine-related policies.[5]

Reyes was also accused of kidnapping hundreds of civilians for extortion or political purposes, involvement in several town massacres and some Colombian city bombings. Before his death the United States Department of State was offering a reward of up to US$5 million for information leading to his arrest.[6]

Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez called the attack "a cowardly murder", and reacted by moving troops near the border with Colombia and calling all personnel from the embassy,[13] saying that doing something similar inside Venezuela would be a "cause for war".[12] He also rendered a minute of silence as a tribute in his weekly televised show.


This is the man that Chavez is so upset about being killed.

[tbweb]

Chavez is really upset his best friend in FARC was killed.
Mot only is he rattling sabers, he is getting in to international affairs of which he has no concern.

Posted by sevenveils at 02:17 PM : Mar 06, 2008,,,

This matter is between Ecuador and Columbia! Hugo Chavez and Venezuela have nothing to do with it in an official context. It just goes to show you what happens when a.s.s.holes come to power. The U.S. really does need to get off foreign oil as quickly as possible, a dependency on oil finances these retards.

[ryeder1]

I remember that not long ago, Chavez was a skinny little twerp. Now look at him. If there is a food shortage in Ven., it''s not at his table.

[mbcsmith]

singinchick, any time a latin country gives the middle
finger to the SHRUB, i am happy!!!!
if that offends you as well then i just got 2 birds with 1 stone..


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Posted by Quetzal0666 at 02:52 PM : Mar 06, 2008
+ report abuse


Posting from Venezuela. Has a poster of Hugo on his wall that he yanks his wanker to every nigt.

[hillaryin08]

The more we ignor him the more he cries. Maybe we should send a couple of JDAM''s on him to let him know we still care.

[quetzal0666]

mbcsmith.. no not for Chavez, hes ugly and a bit Delusional kind of like SHRUB jr,
but anytime a latin country is a thorn to SHRUB
i enjoy a good chuckle.....

[quetzal0666]

Looks like Daniel Ortega, whom Reagan, SHRUB S.R.
tried to Usurp during their Iran/Contragate
is newly elected again in nicaragua and is
Hosting Ecuadors president, and standing
strong with him in the condemnation against
SHRUB J.R.''s ShoeShine boy Correa..............

too funny........

[gkc99]

"Reyes was accused by the US Department of State and the Colombian government of expanding FARC''''s cocaine trafficking activities and setting related policies, including the production, manufacture, and distribution of hundreds of tons of cocaine to the United States and other countries.
This is the man that Chavez is so upset about being killed."--Posted by AJMarine1


Yes, the CIA and Air America don''t like competition in the coke trade.

[quetzal0666]

When U.S. officials announce the arrest of a notorious arms dealer and drug-runner this afternoon, the fact that his planes flew U.S. supply missions in Iraq will likely go unmentioned.

ABC News...

everything is a spin with no tail and no head....

[Syndicate]

Solve this problem once and for all. Kill Chavez.

[confused101a]

Hugo Chevez''s EGO is a threat everyone. Both Venezuela and american and every people every where. Yet here you sit making stupid statements about things you can not effect. Your actions are why he does and can do what he does. God save us all. You people won''t

[Scooter68]

Quetzal0666 - You''re foaming at the mouth so badly that you called the president of Ecuador a shoeshine boy.. tch tch! That''s what happens when you lose control. Are you one of Chavez''s Citco employees perhaps. Afraid that the US might shut Citgo down? Perhaps the US should Nationalize all Citgo refinerees in the US and watch the economy of Venezuala wither like a worm on a sidewalk in the summertime.