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Latest update: 29/07/2009
- Colombia - Hugo Chavez - Venezuela
Chavez will 'freeze' ties with Colombia
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez announced he was withdrawing his nation's ambassador from Bogota. The announcement came a day after Colombia said weapons bought by Venezuela in Sweden had made their way to FARC rebels.
AFP - Venezuela will withdraw its ambassador from Colombia and freeze relations with its Andean neighbor, President Hugo Chavez said on Tuesday.
“I’ve ordered to withdraw our ambassador from Bogota, to withdraw our diplomatic personnel,” the Venezuelan leader said on a televised meeting with his closest aides.
"We will freeze relations with Colombia," he added.
The announcement came a day after Colombia said weapons bought by Venezuela in Sweden had made their way to FARC rebels. In recent days, Chavez has complained about actions by Colombia including plans to deploy more U.S. troops to help fight drug traffickers there.
Venezuela will also substitute imports from Colombia, Chavez said.
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It is interesting to observe how despotic regimes tend to gravitate towards a similar line of action and hyperbole, when faced with legitimate criticism and the free choices of their neighbours. Bogota is unlikely to be devastated and traumatized by this bluster, out of Caracas. Even less so, when Roberto Micheletti has successfully out-manoeuvred Hugo Chavez.