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| Caribbean-Latin America |
| Uribe Seeks Chavez Charges at International Court |
| 2008-03-06 |
| Colombia's President Alvaro Uribe said he'll seek charges at an international tribunal against Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez for sponsoring terrorism. "I'll present to the International Criminal Court charges against Hugo Chavez for financing and sponsoring genocide," said Uribe, on Caracol Radio, after a meeting with a former rebel-held hostage in Bogota. What genocide? Is there some kind of genocide going on that I don't know about already? Uribe also called on Colombia's neighbors to show solidarity with the country in its long-running conflict with the drug-funded guerrillas. The International Criminal Court, based in The Hague, was created in 2002 and both Colombia and Venezuela are signatories to it. Give it up. They're on the take. Colombia yesterday said it uncovered evidence on the laptop of slain rebel leader Raul Reyes showing Venezuela had funneled at least $300 million to the FARC, as the rebel group is known. Oughta be a serious paper trail on that one. How 'bout we come in and rifle through your finances, Hoogo? Correa? Anybody? Or are you too much of a sovereign nation? The laptop was seized Saturday when Colombia's military crossed into Ecuador to kill Reyes, its biggest military triumph in four decades of guerrilla warfare. "Lies! All lies!" General Oscar Naranjo, Colombia's police chief, said the computer files also indicated Ecuadorean Security Minister Gustavo Larrea had been in contact with Reyes in a bid to get President Rafael Correa involved in the release of hostages held by the rebels to boost his political standing. Whatever happened to getting involved simply to help secure their release? Chavez and Correa denied the allegations and in turn accused Uribe's government of acting on the orders of the U.S. Ah yes. That old ploy ought to get everyone's manly goat. Even Chavez's and Correa's. The Organization of American States will hold an emergency session today in Washington to discuss Colombia's violation of Ecuador's sovereignty. And if Ecuador and/or Venezuela acts like a responsible sovereign nation then I'll pay attention. |
| Posted by:gorb |
| #2 Actually, I think that this is a good idea, and the US suggested to Uribe that he should do it. To start with, it sets up the slimy institution of the ICC in a red-on-red battle with Chavez. Either he tells them to go to hell, and they have to sanction him; or they lose all enforcement credibility and become another toothless bureaucracy. They also become a joke if they refuse to punish him for supporting FARC. Sounds like a win-win to me. The US has been itching to punish the ICC for all the hassle it has caused the US, and this looks like a fine way to do it. Venezuela and Colombia are both members of the ICC: http://www.amicc.org/icc_ratifications.html Hopefully Chavez will not only tell them to go to hell, but pull Venezuela out of the ICC. |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2008-03-06 08:19 |
| #1 I don't think international law applies to leftist causes. They get a pass, they always have. |
| Posted by: bigjim-ky 2008-03-06 07:19 |