Monday 14

Chávez urges Uribe to enforce Geneva agreements
For the third day in a row, President Hugo Chávez on Sunday advocated the acknowledgment of the belligerency of the rebel Colombian Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARC) -and obliquely referred to the National Liberation Army (ELN).

According to Chávez, the situation facing Colombia is the result of "a guerrilla that is not controlled by any laws whatsoever," and that the rebel groups control territories "where nobody else gets." Consequently, Chávez asked his Colombian counterpart Álvaro Uribe to "take fearless steps" and enforce the Geneva agreements in the Colombian armed conflict.

"President Uribe, if you acknowledge the status of belligerent to the FARC, and the FARC accept it, the protocols of Geneva would be enforced, and the FARC would be forced to abandon kidnappings. I do not agree with kidnappings. I think they are terrible. I do not agree with keeping a person in the jungle for six, 10 years. That runs counter human nature, no matter who does it," he said.

César Gaviria accuses Chávez of infringing OAS Charter
Former Secretary-General of the Organization of American States (OAS) and leader of Colombian opposition Liberal Party César Gaviria Monday said that the statements President Hugo Chávez made about the Colombian Revolutionary Armed Forces "are a veiled defense of the Colombian armed struggle and represent a serious infringement of the Inter American Democratic Charter."

Gaviria rejected Chávez's intentions to interfere with Colombian domestic affairs.

Further, he said that the Latin American governments and democrats should warn Chávez against "the serious risks his statements and likely actions pose to the continent."

US rejects Chavez call to drop Colombian rebels from terror lists
The United States on Monday brushed aside Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez's call for governments to stop classifying the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, rebel group as terrorists, reported AP.

"You'll excuse me if we don't take that advice," State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said. "They earned their way onto the terrorism list."

McCormack said he was not aware of any change in behavior that would merit the group being removed from the U.S. list of state sponsors of terrorism.

Spain keeps the FARC in black list
Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs Miguel Ángel Moratinos said Spain is not changing its stance regarding the rebel Colombian Revolutionary Armed Forces, which are viewed as a terrorist group by the country, as well as the remaining member states of the European Community.

Moratinos stressed that Spain has "always" been in the EU -an organization that regards the FARC "as a terrorist group, and we are not going to change that," Efe quoted.

Moratinos was replying to Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez, who asked the European Union to remove the FARC from a list of terrorist organizations.

Tuesday 15

Uribe likely to change FARC status
Colombian President Alvaro Uribe Monday said he was willing to stop calling the rebel Colombian Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARC) terrorist, only if the largest guerrilla group in the country is ready to take steps -with good faith and real commitment- to participate in peace talks to put an end to the armed conflict.

Uribe -during his visit to Guatemala to attend the inauguration of President Álvaro Colom- implicitly replied to his Venezuelan counterpart Hugo Chávez's request, who asked him to stop branding the Colombian guerrilla groups as terrorist, as a prerequisite to facilitate peace talks, Reuters reported.

"Any time the FARC are ready, when they act in good faith and are prepared to negotiate peace, the government of Colombia is willing to give them all the benefits under the Constitution to facilitate the peace process," Uribe said in Guatemala.

Córdoba brands as important Uribe's comments about the FARC
Colombian opposition senator Piedad Córdoba Tuesday in Guatemala City replied to President Alvaro Uribe's statements on Monday that the rebel Colombian Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARC) would be removed from the list of terrorist organization if a peace process was launched in Colombia.

"I think it is important and follows the path sought by (Venezuelan) President (Hugo) Chávez," she stated.

Merkel skeptical about Chávez proposal over the FARC
German Chancellor Angela Merkel Tuesday stated she viewed with "skepticism" a proposal Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez made to remove the rebel Colombian Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARC) from the European Union's list of terrorist organizations, adding that the decision depends on the EU.

"I am very skeptical about this issue," Merkel replied when asked about the matter, during her first news conference this year, Efe reported.

In Colombia "there are still many people missing," Merkel reminded, and that is "quite terrible," she stressed.

France: The FARC are a terrorist group as long as they do not free hostages
France on Tuesday said that removing the rebel Colombian Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARC) from the list of terrorist of terrorist groups operating worldwide is not appropriate, as long as the organization does not "release all of the hostages."

"This does not seem appropriate as long as the hostages held by the FARC are not released," said the spokesman of the French Foreign Minister Pascale Andréani.

Last Friday, following the release by the FARC of Colombian hostages Clara Rojas and Consuelo González, Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez asked "the governments in the continent (Latin America) and Europe to remove the FARC and the (rebel) National Liberation Front (ELN) from the list of the terrorist groups, as such a list exists for one reason only, namely pressure from the United States," AFP quoted.

Wednesday 16

Washington Post says Chávez is an ally to kidnappers
The Washington Post Wednesday editorial claimed that President Hugo Chávez, by stating that the rebel Colombian Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARC) possessed a "Bolivarian" political project, has associated his own agenda to that of a group both the US and Europe view as a terrorist and drug trafficking organization.

The editorial asserts that following the FARC move, many wondered what the FARC would ask for in exchange. And the "shocking answer" came on the following day, when Chávez, in a four-hour address to the Congress, demanded that they be recognized as "a genuine army," just like another Colombian rebel group, the National Liberation Army (ELN).

"In short, Mr. Chávez was endorsing groups dedicated to violence and other criminal behavior in a neighboring Latin American democracy, and associating his agenda with theirs," said the daily newspaper in an editorial entitled "Ally to Kidnappers - Venezuela's Hugo Chávez endorses Colombian groups known for abductions, drug trafficking and mass murder."

Colombia is filing protest against Chávez's proposal over rebel groups
Colombian High Commissioner for Peace Luis Carlos Restrepo Wednesday declared that the Colombian government is making a verbal protest before Caracas to rebut President Hugo Chávez's petition that the rebel Colombian Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARC) are no longer called terrorist.

Restrepo told Colombian reporters that Álvaro Uribe's administration is forwarding the communication to Venezuelan Foreign Minister Nicolás Maduro. 

"There cannot be interference with the Colombian domestic affairs. We are a sovereign state and all we are asking the world is not acquiescence to terrorists, but cooperation to fight terrorism," Restrepo told radio station La FM.

Chávez: Colombian Govn't does not want peace
President Hugo Chávez Wednesday downplayed an announcement on a verbal protest the Colombian Government is about to make before Caracas rejecting the Venezuelan ruler's petition that the rebel Colombian Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARC) and the National Liberation Army (ELN) are removed from the list of terrorist groups.

"I want to insist on this, we want peace, (but) the American empire is opposed to peace in Colombia and puts pressure on the Colombian Government for it to oppose peace," Chávez said.

"The government that Colombia has today doesn't want peace," Chavez said on Wednesday during a visit to Managua, Nicaragua. "I'm convinced that this conflict doesn't have a military solution. We have to look for a political solution.''

Thursday 17

US concerned about Venezuela's arms purchases
Admiral Michael Mullen, the Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Thursday in Bogota that both Venezuela's arms race and Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez's support to the rebel Colombian Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARC) are igniting "serious concern" in his country.

Mullen said Colombian Minister of Defense Juan Manuel Santos "and other people here in Colombia" have voiced the same concern. Mullen arrived in Colombia on Wednesday to pay his first official visit to Colombia since he was sworn in last October, Efe reported.

Uruguayan Foreign Ministry advises Uruguay not to comment Chávez's proposal about the FARC
The Uruguayan Ministry of Foreign Affairs reportedly advised the Uruguayan government not to reply to Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez's proposal to remove the rebel Colombian Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARC) from the lists of terrorist groups, a local publication said on Thursday.

Magazine Búsqueda quoted official sources as saying that there is "an in-house report of the Foreign Affairs Ministry" of Uruguay which recommends avoiding making any comments on the proposal Chávez made to remove both the Colombian Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARC) and the National Liberation Army (ELN) from the lists of terrorist organizations as a prerequisite to launch peace talks in Colombia.

The document explained that Uruguay does not have the two guerrilla groups in any list of terrorist organizations, and therefore it does not need to change such status.

Cattle-Raisers demand Armed Forces to set a position on FARC's belligerency
The Venezuelan Federation of Cattle-Raisers (Fedenaga) said that granting belligerency status to Colombian guerrilla groups, as requested by Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez, would have "disastrous consequences" for the country. The organization demanded Venezuelan Armed Forces to set its position regarding Chávez's proposal.

"The belligerency status would allow them to camp and seek refuge in Venezuela, and operate officially in the country (…) This is totally unacceptable," Genaro Méndez, Fedenaga's president, said quoting a document approved by the organization.

Chávez's proposal per se means a letter of good conduct to these terrorist, felonious groups that violate human rights, Méndez added.

The US reaffirms its support to Colombian government in Caracas-Bogota impasse
The US Department of State Thursday reiterated its backing to Colombian President Álvaro Uribe and said Venezuelan ruler Hugo Chávez's remarks on the status of the rebel Colombian Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARC) are not "the most sensible."

State Department spokesman Sean McCormack was referring to remarks made on Wednesday in Managua by President Hugo Chávez regarding the FARC.

On Wednesday, Chávez said that "this conflict (in Colombia) doesn't have a military solution. We have to look for a political solution.'' In this sense, McCormack ratified that the US supports Uribe and "his efforts to deal with the organization (FARC)."

Congress adopts Chávez's proposal on FARC status
The National Assembly (AN) Thursday endorsed President Hugo Chávez's proposal to ask the Colombian government that it grants belligerency status to rebel groups Colombian Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARC) and National Liberation Army (ELN).

According to the document approved, recognition of the rebel groups by the Colombian government would be a sign of will to "adopt a political treatment that creates confidence in future negotiations in the way to peace in Colombia".

Likewise, the deputies agreed to reject the "unilateral lists imposed by the United States government," which brand as "terrorist" the "freedom movements and States not subject to domination."

Friday 18

Red Cross denies having commented on belligerent status
Contrary to the reports some media published, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has not commented on the belligerent status of any armed group in Colombia or any other country, the body said in a communiqué.

"Since the Geneva Agreements were adopted in 1949, the international humanitarian law is automatically applied in cases of domestic (not international) armed conflicts, with no need for declaration from a State or opposition armed groups. The international law does not call for recognition of the belligerent status. The parties to an international armed conflict have an obligation to respect the international humanitarian law, and this has no impact on their juridical status," the document explained.

Colombian senator warns against FARC-Venezuela alliance
Venezuela's move to recognize the rebel Colombian Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARC) as a belligerent force could have "very serious political and even military consequences," Friday warned Colombian pro-government senator Germán Vargas.

"Since yesterday (Thursday), Colombia should get ready for anything," Vargas said, referring to the fact that the Venezuelan Congress on Thursday endorsed a petition for President Hugo Chávez to recognize the belligerent status to the Colombian guerrilla groups.

"Other countries could act like" Venezuela, he told private radio station Caracol. Vargas is the leader of Cambio Radical party, one of the seven parties comprising the government coalition that supports President Uribe.

Chávez takes tough stance regarding Uribe, Minister says
Colombian Minister of the Interior and Justice Carlos Holguín Friday stated that Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez has toughened his stance regarding Colombian ruler Álvaro Uribe, and stressed that the Colombian Executive Branch would not reply to the insults voiced by the Venezuelan government.

"The Colombian government's decision is not to fall in this. It is going to act with strength, legal grounds, dignity, and with true, accurate, appropriate timely statements. However, we are not going to play along the game of personal insults and retaliations," Holguín told reporters.

Bilateral relations turned sour last November, when Uribe terminated Chávez's and Colombian senator Piedad Córdoba's mediation to reach a humanitarian swap with the rebel FARC.

Former Ambassador forecasts likely Caracas-Bogota military clash
Former Venezuelan Ambassador to Colombia Fernando Gerbasi Friday did not rule out a likely military confrontation between Bogota and Caracas, as a consequence of President Hugo Chávez's support to the rebel Colombian Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARC).

"I would not rule out this idea. I do not think it could happen anytime soon, but there is a possibility," Gerbasi told Bogota-based Radio Caracol, as quoted by AFP.