Pubdate: Mon, 27 Nov 2000
Source: Associated Press
Copyright: 2000 Associated Press
Author: THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Bookmark: Colombia http://www.mapinc.org/colombia.htm

VENEZUELA CALLS HOME ITS AMBASSADOR

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) -- Venezuela called home its ambassador to Colombia 
for consultation Monday, another sign of tensions between the two neighbors 
that began when a Colombian guerrilla leader was allowed to address the 
Venezuelan Congress.

Venezuela's Foreign Minister Jose Vicente Rangel recalled Ambassador Roy 
Chaderton three days after Colombia called home its ambassador to 
Venezuela, German Bula, to "evaluate the current state of relations between 
the two countries." Both diplomats were expected to return to their posts 
within days.

Colombian politicians have condemned Venezuela for allowing Olga Marin, 
spokeswoman for the leftist Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or 
FARC, to speak to the legislature.

The speech came in a forum on Colombia's U.S.-backed anti drug plan, and 
was part of a meeting of a Latin America-wide parliamentary group not a 
session of Venezuela's legislature.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has said that the Plan Colombia, backed by 
$1.3 billion in mostly military assistance from the United States, will 
exacerbate fighting in Colombia's 36-year-old civil conflict and send 
thousands of refugees, guerrillas and drug traffickers to Venezuela and 
other neighboring countries.

Rangel on Monday said Colombia was overreacting to Marin's speech and 
insisted that Venezuela has not sided with the FARC or any other rebel group.

On Sunday, Chavez said criticism toward him came from a "rancid Colombian 
oligarchy that does not understand peace" and is "responsible for the 
tragedy of the Colombian people."

In response to those comments, Manuel Ramiro Velasquez, the president of 
the Foreign Relations Commission of the Colombian Congress, said: "Chavez 
does not understand Colombian politics. We are authentic spokespeople of 
the Colombian people and we refuse to accept the Venezuelan president's 
systematic and inappropriate intrusions into the peace process."

Also, Rangel announced that Venezuela has suspended the Dec. 8-10 annual 
Andean Presidential Summit at the request of those countries invited to the 
meeting. Rangel said the presidents of Peru, Colombia, Bolivia and Ecuador 
were not able to fit the summit into their schedules.
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