CARACAS, Tuesday January 25, 2005 | Update
The US government denied Tuesday any involvement in the capture
last month of the leader of the Colombian Revolutionary Armed
Forces Rodrigo Granda, as claimed by Venezuelan President
Hugo Chávez, Efe reported.
"These allegations are unfounded," said the US Department
of State in a press release. "We have not played any role
in the capture of Rodrigo Granda, the terrorist of the Colombian
Revolutionary Armed Forces."
President Chávez has never produced any evidence to
back his charges of US involvement "because there is none,"
the press release added.
According to the Department of State, the Venezuelan government
representatives who claim US involvement intend to "distract
attention from the apparent permissiveness by the Caracas
government on terrorist groups who use its territory with
impunity."
The Department of State urged Caracas "to explain why did
it allow for a FARC terrorist leader to move freely in its
territory and even get a Venezuelan passport."
The US "support Colombia's efforts to confront terrorist
groups and urge other countries to cooperate with President
Álvaro Uribe's administration."
The capture last month of Rodrigo Granda unleashed a crisis
in Venezuelan-Colombian relations.
Bogotá insists on saying that Granda was detained in
the Colombian city of Cúcuta, whereas Venezuela states
that he was kidnapped last December 13th in Caracas, and Venezuelan
sovereignty was therefore violated.
04:20 PM. Western Hemisphere. Colombian President Álvaro Uribe said on Tuesday that governments should ensure citizens' rights to live on the border, in reference to a political and diplomatic crisis with Venezuela and its effects on border residents.