Jonn Lilyea
Chavez is manipulating the world’s attention
Posted by Jonn Lilyea on May 19, 2008
Hugo Chavez has been dealt a major blow to his credibility with the Interpol press release pointing a finger squarely at Chavez’ forehead. So Chavez does what Chavez does best - distract the world’s attention from him own misdeeds with manufactured fantasies (El Universal link);
On Sunday, Venezuelan Minister of Information Andrés Izarra ratified that Colombian troops entered Venezuelan territory illegally. “Photos and other materials that show the incursion” will be published timely, he said, as quoted by Efe.
“It seems that (Santos) is not well informed, or pretends to be not well informed (…) It is good to tell him that we have graphic materials, pictures and other materials that will be submitted in due course and that prove the incursion,” he added.
Colombia disavows knowledge of any incursion by their troops;
Colombian Minister of Defense Juan Manuel Santos denied on Sunday the deployment of Colombian troops in Venezuelan western Apure state, as denounced on Saturday by the Venezuelan government in a diplomatic notice of protest.
According to Santos, an investigation of the armed forces found that there was no incursion. The Colombian troops “were doing nothing. I inquired already. We found building equipment and two Venezuelans without clearance in the Colombian department of Arauca,” Efe quoted.
Colombian Minister of Foreign Affairs Fernando Araújo said that there was no incursion and no notice of protest had been received. “As soon as we receive it, we will reply.”
I wonder if Chavez will be willing to submit the photos to Interpol for verification. Coincidently, Venezuela has also experienced a violation of their airspace by a US aircraft, supposedly, as well (El Universal);
Venezuelan Minister of Foreign Affairs Nicolás Maduro reported that he would call US Ambassador Patrick Duddy to provide a rationale for an alleged incursion of a US military aircraft into Venezuelan territory.
Defense Minister Gustavo Rangel Briceño said that the plane of the US army was found in Venezuelan air space near the Caribbean island of La Orchila, AP reported.
Funny how these violations of Venezuela’s sovereignty just happened to occur after the Interpol investigation was released. Of course, i tend to believe that they didn’t happen - it’s just more of Chavez paranoia and to distract from the impact of Interpol’s report.
