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Venezuela told the United Nations Monday that the United States and Colombia have an "aggressive" plan to invade its territory, claiming this represents a threat to peace and security in the region.

Venezuela's UN Ambassador Jorge Valero Briceno met with UN chief Ban Ki-moon, giving him a letter explaining the alleged threat, and explaining why his country broke off diplomatic ties with Bogota.

The letter underscores the "aggressive plan against the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Venezuela" allegedly hatched by outgoing President Colombian Alvaro Uribe and Washington."

He added that this plan shows "the great risk represented by the growing and dangerous presence of US military forces on Colombian soil and the reactivation of the (US) Fourth Fleet in the Caribbean Sea and Central and South America."

He charged that the "growing military presence of the United States, with the support and the complicity of the current government of Colombia, is directed against the progressive movements of the region and represents a great threat to the peace and security of the continent."

Valero also expressed hope that president-elect Juan Manuel Santos, who is to take office August 7, "does not follow the war-mongering plans" of Washington and Uribe and "gives clear and unambiguous signals that it has the political will to resume the path of dialogue."

The letter calls on Colombia to resume peace talks with its leftist opponents.

Uribe, who leaves office next month, charged earlier this month that leaders of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and the National Liberation Army (ELN) had taken refuge in Venezuela.

His government went before the Organization of American States last week to present evidence that the leftist rebel groups were launching attacks on Colombia from havens in Venezuela.

Speaking in Cuba, Venezuelan Electricity Minister Ali Rodriguez said Bogota's accusations were a "foul, vulgar and offensive pretext to attack Venezuela and attack the libertarian processes in our continent."

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez last week broke off relations with Colombia and on Sunday canceled a trip to Cuba, claiming the risk of a Colombian attack has never been greater.

On Sunday, Chavez revealed intelligence information alleging that Washington and Bogota have prepared a military attack against Venezuela, including his assassination.

The US State Department has meanwhile denied that Washington had any intention of attacking Venezuela, a key supplier of oil to the US market.

Story from AFP
AFP 07/26/2010

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