The United States is "concerned" about "evidence" suggesting that Venezuela could have provided support to the rebel Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), said on Wednesday Arturo Valenzuela, the US Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs, in a hearing before the US Congress.

"There is evidence that there has been assistance," Valenzuela responded to a question from Connie Mack, the Republican leader of the United States House of Representatives' Committee on Foreign Affairs, on the links between the South American country and the FARC.

"We are very concerned about the FARC and the support they are receiving from different organizations," Valenzuela said in reference to "news" published recently about the alleged alliance between the FARC and the Basque separatist group ETA, with the mediation of the Venezuelan government. This issue has prompted a verbal confrontation between Spain and Hugo Chávez administration.

However, the head of the US policy for Latin America termed the issue "delicate." Valenzuela asked the Congressmen to discuss the topic at a meeting not open to the public such as Wednesday's. The case of Venezuela and its allies in the region was treated in most of the hearing related to Obama's administration policy toward Latin America in the US House Committee.

Valenzuela said that he is "concerned about the continuing erosion of basic democratic institutions."