Chavez warns Colombia against incursions

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez warned his Colombian counterpart that war would break out between the South American neighbours if Colombia’s military crossed into Venezuelan territory.

Mr Chavez railed against Colombian forces for entering Ecuadorean territory on a raid that killed a senior commander of Colombia’s largest guerrilla group, and he cautioned Colombian President Alvaro Uribe against similar actions along Venezuela’s border.

“Don’t think about doing that over here, because it would very serious, it would be cause for war,” Mr Chavez said. “How far is President Uribe willing to go in his warlike madness?”

Mr Chavez, who maintains warm relations with the Colombian guerrilla group, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, said that “it was obscene to see the smiling faces” of Colombian military commanders standing behind Colombian Defense Minister Juan Manuel Santos as he announced the death of FARC spokesman Raul Reyes and 16 other rebels.

“The Colombian government audaciously acknowledges they entered Ecuadorean territory,” said Mr Chavez, speaking during a televised meeting with his Cabinet. “We call on Colombia’s government to clarify this.”