Western Hemisphere
Venezuela's President Hugo Chávez late on Tuesday denied claims that he wants to provoke an armed conflict with Colombia. He refuted allegations that he is a "warlike" man, following his recent statements that Venezuelan people needed to prepare to face any armed aggression.

"Now, they (the Colombian government) accuse me. Their cynicism knows no bounds. Now they brand me as warmonger... All I am doing is calling the Venezuelan people and soldiers to be prepared to defend this country against the threat posed by the deployment of seven (US) military bases right here in Colombia," he stressed.

Chávez said that the Colombian government's warning that Bogotá would take Venezuela's case to the Security Council of the United Nations (UN), is "ironic," because, in his view, Colombia is the one that is promoting war and interventionism in the countries of the region.

The Venezuelan leader's remarks came after he initialed a series of cooperation agreements in the areas of energy, tourism, steel and education, among others, with Ana Julia Carepa, the Brazilian governor of the state of Pará, who met with Chávez on Tuesday night at the Miraflores Presidential Palace.

Carepa, a member of the Workers Party (PT, left-leaning party) of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, said that the agreements signed are the result of regional consolidation and mirror the revolution people are waging in South America.

On the other hand, Pará governor, who was described by Chávez as a social fighter, said that she will submit to the Brazilian Senate a document to support the entry of Venezuelan to the Common Market of the South (Mercosur) since it favors businessmen in the region.

Translated by Gerardo Cárdenas