Chavez claims Colombian troops entered Venezuela and prepairs for war.

[B5C]

Chavez claims Colombian troops entered Venezuela

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez on Sunday charged that Colombian troops had entered Venezuela across the Orinoco River, a move he warned was a "provocation" by his Colombian counterpart Alvaro Uribe.

"We are not talking about a patrol with a few soldiers that strayed over a border" into Venezuela, he said.

"These troops crossed the Orinoco River in a boat and carried out an incursion into Venezuelan territory," Chavez said on his weekly television show "Hello President."

"When our troops got there (the Colombian troops) had already gone away," said Chavez, a leftist populist who has very strained ties with the conservative Uribe, the United States' closest regional ally.

Venezuela, along with many other Latin American nations, is incensed at a new agreement allowing the United States to use seven Colombian military bases.

"The Yankees are starting to command the Colombian Armed Forces; they are the ones who are in charge, who are in charge of these provocations, who make up huge lies," Chavez added.

He also suggested preferential pricing for Venezuelan oil and oil derivatives may be on the way out for Colombia. "The supply should stop, they can buy it at the market price. Why should we be favoring Uribe's government that way?" Chavez asked.
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php...show_article=1

Is Chavez starting to lose control that he may need to start a war to maintain his power?

Also Chavez is preparing for war?

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) - President Hugo Chavez told his military on Sunday to be prepared for a possible confrontation with Colombia, warning that Bogota's plans to increase the U.S. military presence at its bases poses a threat to Venezuela.

Chavez has issued near daily warnings that Washington could use bases in Colombia to destabilize the region since learning of negotiations to lease seven Colombian military bases to the United States.

"The threat against us is growing," Chavez said. "I call on the people and the armed forces, let's go, ready for combat!"

The former paratroop commander said Colombian soldiers were recently spotted crossing the porous 1,400-mile (2,300-kilometer) border that separates the two countries and suggested that Colombia may have been trying to provoke Venezuela's military.

"They crossed the Orinoco River in a boat and entered Venezuelan territory," Chavez said. "When our troops arrived, they'd already left."

Chavez said Venezuela's foreign ministry would file a formal complaint and warned Colombia that "Venezuela's military will respond if there's an attack against Venezuela."

Chavez said he would attend this week's summit of the Union of South American Nations in Quito, Ecuador, to urge his Latin American allies to pressure Colombian President Alvaro Uribe to reconsider plans to increase the U.S. military presence.

"We cannot ignore this threat," Chavez said during his weekly radio and television program, "Hello President."

Chavez also halted shipments of subsidized fuel to Colombia, saying Venezuela should not be sending cheap gasoline to an antagonistic neighbor.

"Let them buy it at the real price. How are we going to favor Uribe's government in this manner?" he said.

Colombian officials say Venezuela has no reason to be concerned, and that the U.S. forces would help fight drug trafficking. The proposed 10-year agreement, they claim, would not push the number of American troops and civilian military contractors beyond 1,400—the maximum currently permitted by U.S. law.

Tensions between the neighboring South American nations also have been heightened over Colombia's disclosure that three Swedish-made anti-tank weapons found at a rebel camp last year had been purchased by Venezuela's military.

Chavez has accused Colombia of acting irresponsibly in its accusation that the anti-tank rocket launchers sold to Venezuela in 1988 were obtained by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC. Sweden confirmed the weapons were originally sold to Venezuela's military.

Chavez denies aiding the FARC. He claims the United States is using Colombia as part of a broader plan to portray him as a supporter of terrorist groups to provide justification for U.S. military intervention in Venezuela.

Chavez said Sunday that diplomatic relations with Uribe's government "remain frozen" even though he ordered Venezuela's ambassador to return to Colombia more than a week after he was recalled.
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php...show_article=1

[Phier]

He's going to have a hard time convincing people that Obama would do anything against a dictatorship, especially a leftest one.

I'm pretty sure he played this card a year or two ago.

[nopasties]

http://www.reuters.com/article/bonds...41096620090809

UPDATE 1-Venezuela's Chavez ends Colombia fuel subsidy
* Chavez angered by Colombia's plan to host more US troops
* Up to 120,000 barrels of subsidized fuel sold a month
* Says Colombian army boat crossed Venezuela river border (Recasts with alleged troop incursion)
CARACAS, Aug 9 (Reuters) - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez on Sunday ratcheted up a spat with Colombia over a U.S. troop plan, ending a fuel subsidy and accusing his neighbor of a small military incursion across the shared Orinoco River.
Persistent Washington critic Chavez is furious at a plan to house a few hundred more U.S. troops at seven Colombian military bases and says it risks sparking war in South America.
Colombian President Alvaro Uribe says the troop plan is necessary to fight drug traffickers but Chavez claims a greater U.S. presence in the region is a direct threat to him.
"Stop the supply of (subsidized) fuel to Colombia right now, let them buy it at its real price. How can we favor the government of Uribe like this?"
Under a 2008 agreement, OPEC nation Venezuela sells between 50,000 and 120,000 barrels of subsidized gasoline each month to Colombia to combat rampant fuel smuggling.
Speaking on his weekly television show, Chavez also said he had been informed Colombian soldiers crossed a river border in a small boat, in what he called "a provocation," although he said the boat had gone by the time Venezuelan troops arrived to check.
"This is a provocation by the government of Uribe, that's the Yankees there, the Yankees have started to command Colombian military forces," said Chavez, who often uses incendiary words against his neighbor but usually backs down quickly.
Colombian officials did not immediately return calls seeking comment.
Chavez has already taken measures against Colombia's state oil company and car exporters, and on Sunday urged companies to buy less from one of Venezuela's top trade partners. He previously warned the fuel deal was under review.
ECUADOR SUMMIT
The two countries shared $7 billion in commerce last year, with Venezuela exporting oil and chemical products in exchange for food and textiles.
Venezuela has some of the world's cheapest gasoline, which costs just a few U.S. cents to fill a large tank and makes contraband sales to more costly Colombia big business.
The OPEC nation says it loses 27,000 barrels per day and $1 billion per year to traffickers ranging from small-time peddlers to large-scale smuggling.
Chavez withdrew his ambassador from Bogota for about a week in the diplomatic spat but late on Friday night ordered him back.
Chavez joins other South American leaders on Monday for a summit in Ecuador, where the base plan is expected to top the agenda. U.S. ally Uribe is not attending, but toured the region to drum up support.
Colombia, the world's No. 1 cocaine producer, has received more than $5 billion in mostly military aid from Washington to fight drug traffickers and FARC rebels. The base deal is an extension of an existing military cooperation accord.
U.S. President Barack Obama on Friday denied the United States is planning to set up military bases in Colombia as part of the upgraded security agreement and said he has no intention of sending large numbers of additional troops.
The United States is in talks with Uribe's government about relocating U.S. drug interdiction flight operations to Colombia after being kicked out of neighboring Ecuador.
The plan is expected to increase the number of U.S. troops in Colombia above the current total of less than 300 but not above 800, the maximum permitted under the existing military pact, officials said.

[gsoxx]

He's going to have a hard time convincing people that Obama would do anything against a dictatorship, especially a leftest one.

Wut? So now Obama is also a closet buddy for Castro, Chavez and the likes for you guys?

[justicar5]

He's going to have a hard time convincing people that Obama would do anything against a dictatorship, especially a leftest one.

I'm pretty sure he played this card a year or two ago.

doubt you'll see american boots on the ground, unless it goes really badly for colmbia, but I bet they'll get any supplies and intel that they need.

[Nouvelle Vague]

Overseas US military installations and silos are proving to be more trouble than they're worth for the US. No matter where you put them.

This being reported anywhere else?

[Claudius Gothicus]

I'm 90% sure he's bluffing as usual, if he goes to war however he's a ing , not only he will get owned pretty hard but he'll bring a lot of instability to the region, imagine it FARC, Ecuador and Venezuela against a US backed Colombia. The death toll will be quite high and SA's economy is going to feel it.

But do not worry he's bluffing... he's a clown after all.

[B5C]

Well if the two do go to war. Obama will probally just send in Jimmy Carter in and do nothing else. Like he did with Russia and Iran.

the AP
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/...ThSCQD99VN3U03

AFP
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp...resutPD530OAAg

[ivan_the_terrible]

Well if the two do go to war. Obama will probally just send in Jimmy Carter in and do nothing else. Like he did with Russia and Iran.

the AP
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/...ThSCQD99VN3U03

AFP
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp...resutPD530OAAg

What was Obama supposed to do with Russia?

[Mikelus Trento]

Well if the two do go to war. Obama will probally just send in Jimmy Carter in and do nothing else. Like he did with Russia and Iran.

the AP
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/...ThSCQD99VN3U03

AFP
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp...resutPD530OAAg

Or perhaps he will act like he did when immediately upon taking office heordered drone strikes into Pakistan, resulting in the death of the Taliban leader in Pakistan last week.

Because he uses a carrot sometimes instead of always the Bush-like big stick method doesn't mean either way doesn't have its usefulness.

[Celsius]

Well, this will certainly have a quick ending. I don't see a war coming out of this.

[eddy_purpus]

Well, this will certainly have a quick war ending. I don't see Chavez coming out of this if it happens..

Fix Yo Self .

[Last Roman]

Well, this will certainly have a quick ending. I don't see a war coming out of this.

This. Chavez is a lot of rhetoric, but he won't actually risk a full out war; what would he gain out of it?

[Farnan]

This. Chavez is a lot of rhetoric, but he won't actually risk a full out war; what would he gain out of it?

He did the same thing last year. He wants to keep the people in war mode.

[B5C]

Well he does have a lot of new Russian equipment to use. There is no way US will get involed because Venezuela and Russia are allies. Obama is too coward to defend it's allies against the big bear and it's friends.

[Claudius Gothicus]

Well he does have a lot of new Russian equipment to use. There is no way US will get involed because Venezuela and Russia are allies. Obama is too coward to defend it's allies against the big bear and it's friends.

Do not test Obama... the US has a lot of interests in Colombia, lots of bases and has been supplying Colombia with resources and weapons for years know, of course they won't send Marines but Colombia's army is very well trained and US supplied.

[MaximiIian]

Do not test Obama... the US has a lot of interests in Colombia, lots of bases and has been supplying Colombia with resources and weapons for years know, of course they won't send Marines but Colombia's army is very well trained and US supplied.

Indeed. If Venezuela does some brash and stupid military action against Colombia, it will be brought to heel, either by Colombia, America, or both. Chavez knows this; he may be is an idiot, but he's not stupid enough to knowingly condemn his country to complete ruin.

[Nouvelle Vague]

Well he does have a lot of new Russian equipment to use. There is no way US will get involed because Venezuela and Russia are allies. Obama is too coward to defend it's allies against the big bear and it's friends.

to what end?

[Amry]

I think it's all bluster; neither Chavez nor Uribe have anything substantial to gain from a regional conflict. Vanuezela isn't so stupid as to attack a country with close links to Washington, and Colombia doesn't really have the resources to attack and hold Vanuezelan territory.

[Swordthrower]

In looking at this development I try to understand the Chavez angle. Is he justifying a want for aggresion vs. Columbia with anti Yankeeism? Or is he justifying a want for sabre rattling and garnering public opinion of strength with a relatively minor Columbian incursion? I believe the latter, and that Chavez is just making sure his military stays with him by building up their importance and thus future allowances. I believe the recent Central and South American political climate has him taking precautions, that is all.