Western Hemisphere
The Colombian Administrative Department of Security (DAS), a secret intelligence service, insisted Thursday that it is not true that it has sent spies to Venezuela, as the government of President Hugo Chávez has said. This week, Venezuelan officials reported that two agents of the Colombian state security agency were arrested to face trial.

Felipe Muñoz, the director of the Administrative Department of Security, said: "Categorically, no." He ensured that the persons detained by the Venezuelan authorities have nothing to do with his institution, DPA reported.

Muñoz said that Colombian diplomats in Venezuela gave him the names of the detainees.

"Eduardo González was held in custody on October 3. He has been charged of carrying weapons and drugs abuse. People in Maracay (Venezuela) say that he is one of the DAS spies, but it should be noted that he neither works in DAS nor he is a source of the agency," Muñoz told Colombian radio station Caracol.