Posted on 03/07/2008 2:09:32 PM PST by maquiladora
Colombia, Ecuador and Venezuela ended a dispute on Friday, publicly shaking hands at a summit after a week of troop buildups that also saw several countries cutting ties with Colombia.
"And with this ... this incident that has caused so much damage would be resolved," leftist Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa said before standing up and shaking hands with his US-backed Colombian counterpart Alvaro Uribe.
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, who had blamed the United States for the crisis as he sent tanks to the border with US-ally Colombia, joined in shaking Uribe's hand vigorously, applauding loudly and smiling broadly.
The resolution of the dispute, which erupted on Saturday when Colombia raided inside Ecuador to kill a commander of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, was a surprise ending to the summit.
The handshakes were broadcast live on television across Latin America in response to a special request from summit host Dominican Republic President Leonel Fernandez.
So much for the war Sheppie Smith reported.
Did Uribe smell the scent of sulphur?
The Colombian President was not all smiles, he seemed in a hurry to leave, probably wanted a hot shower.
The other countries couldn’t, as I understand it, have won a war against Columbia even if they had tried.
Any bets on there being a military victory parade in Caracas?
Hugo (Hogo?) ducks a bullet, for the time being...
when FARC drops its weapons, maybe.
And just what WAS the resolution of the dispute?
Inquiring minds wish to know.
IF the reports are true, it was the US intelligence agencies who intercepted and triangulated phone calls between Chavez and Reyes’ camp, that lead to Colombia getting a lock on Reyes location.
Which is great news and all for Colombians, but Chavez had to save face since that bit of info (true or not) was going to be and has been made public.
Damn....that was fast.!
After all his bellicose statements, this is nothing less but El Supremo backing away faster than a cat covering up S#$%. His macho image is suddenly much less than it used to be.
So as the larger of the two men, he gives Uribe’s hand the lobster crush. But whose army is the more formidable?
But wasn’t Chavez shouting “Guerra! Guerra! Guerra!” just days ago?
Makes you say hmmmm........
Agreed. The “resolution” is a good for many a reason, but ever the cynic I see this as a face saving move on the part of Chavez and Correa.
Any aggression on the part of Chavez with his sycophant Correa in tow would have meant the end of them, and I think they are at least alert enough for self preservation.
They knew that URIBE had the goods on their deallings with FARC and was ready to show the world Correa and CHavez were in bed with FARC. Hugo knows if he pushes this too far, it will be the end of him.
Little reported in the USA, but widely known elsewhere was when Hugo wanted to steal the Constitutional election recently, it was the army that stopped him. They told him they would not send the troops to put down the citizens if they rioted when Hugo tried to make himself dicatator for life. Even though Hugo replaced a lot of Generals with his cronies, many of the junior officers have no affinity for him. I think thw army told Hugo this time that if he wanted war with Colombia, they would not co-operate. I predict within 5 years, it will be the army which deposes this tyrant.
Nice diplomacy work, but Al Gore beat him out for the Nobel Peace Prize!
“Little reported in the USA, but widely known elsewhere was when Hugo wanted to steal the Constitutional election recently, it was the army that stopped him.”
Yes, agreed it was little reported and public common knowledge is therefore scant. If it weren’t for Free Republic I too would more than likely have not known.
F.R. should be required reading :)
The expected deal was that Columbia promised to not raid deep inside Equador and Venezeula to kill more FARCs, while Equador and Venezeula agreed to pull back their forces from their border with Columbia and agree to restore diplomatic relations in the region.
Which is a near-total victory for Columbia, as the FARC leadership is dead and dying while Hugo is now slimed with being in bed with them.
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