US-Colombian Military Deal Raise Tensions in The Region
Dec. 21, 09 (Hamsayeh.Net) - Colombia’s pro-US government of Alvaro Uribe raises alarms over threat of foreign enemies wanting to impose a war on Colombia. On Sunday, Colombia’s Defense Minister warned of the existence of a foreign military threat for the first time in years, in the El Tiempo newspaper.
The Colombian Defense Minister had earlier announced construction of a new military base on Guajira peninsula near the Venezuelan border that would station 1000 troops. The United States and Colombia sealed a military deal last month where US troops are going to use several bases inside Colombia in return for $5 billion in assistance from Washington to the government of Alvaro Uribe. Both Washington and Bogotá declared their joint combat mission aimed at curtailing drug operations in the region.
The US military troops presence in that region is not new. The US army has been present in that part of Colombia for the past 50 years assisting Colombia’s government in fights against drug mafias as well as fighting anti-government uprisings from FARC and ELN grass roots movements.
Battles against drug operations haven't been quite successful after so many years but there have been some successes in preventing popular uprisings from spreading. The FARC and ELN militias now control almost one third of Colombian territory on the eastern side.
The Venezuelan government headed by its vastly poplar President Hugo Chavez, has called for his nation's readiness to an eventual war with Colombia. He said the US imperialists’ drive into the region threatens the independence of all Latin American countries. Ecuadorian and Bolivian leaders also raised alarms for the people of Latin America. Most other Latin American countries expressed concerns over US-Colombia military deal.
Venezuela has some the world’s largest oil deposits and it is a leading member of the OPEC. Venezuela’s oil exports accounts for most of its national revenues.
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