Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has said his foreign minister will attend the inauguration of new Colombian president Juan Manuel Santos.
The apparent easing of relations came two weeks after President Chavez broke off relations with Colombia.
The row erupted after Bogota accused Mr Chavez of harbouring Colombian rebels.
Mr Chavez also said he was optimistic mediation efforts by Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva would ease tensions with Colombia.
President Lula has been encouraging President Chavez to resume dialogue with Colombia.
While President Chavez did not give any details of his discussions with his Brazilian counterpart in the Venezuelan capital Caracas, he said he had asked President Lula "to convey my greetings to the new president of Colombia".
Can we expect a warming of relations between Venezuela and Colombia, or do retail politicians like President Hugo Chavez and President Juan Manuel Santos perhaps need a wee bit of ongoing argy bargy?
[quote]Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has said his foreign minister will attend the inauguration of new Colombian president Juan Manuel Santos.
The apparent easing of relations came two weeks after President Chavez broke off relations with Colombia.
The row erupted after Bogota accused Mr Chavez of harbouring Colombian rebels.
Mr Chavez also s ...[text shortened]... ent Hugo Chavez and President Juan Manuel Santos perhaps need a wee bit of ongoing argy bargy?
The relations between venezuela and colombia can be compared to that of a stormy marriage. They bicker constantly and every now and then threaten to resort to radical solutions when the argument gets more severe, but at the end they always kiss and make up.
It's still not fun for the residents and the parents of soldiers and the businessmen and the foreign investors and anyone who gives a hoot about those countries' developments. Chavez harbors some guerillas, Colombia embarasses Venezuela before the international community by showing facts that support these charges and raising the accusations before international bodies, and Venezuela then threatens war based on the accusations being an insult.
It wouldn't make any sense for Chavez to attack a country the US military using the nation's airbases.
Still, the drama does not help economic growth or poverty reduction, if anything the spat has cost both sides significant economic progress.
Columbia has a very interesting geographic position. It is the only land access to central and North America, and it has access to the oceans on either side.
It also has that central spike aimed at Venezuela's center at the headwaters of the Orinoco River. If I were Chavez I'd take Colombia very seriously. How are their relative militaries and economies?
I'll check out now days but in recent years Colombia's millitary was more modernized and had more practice fighting with all its anti-guerilla work. Then oil prices shot up and Venezuela's economy had a boon way above its spending commitments and Chavez upgrated its military buying many Russian tanks and he upgraded planes to sukhoi planes, etc, giving him the edge on conventional warfare thought with less experienced troops.
Originally posted by eljefejesus I'll check out now days but in recent years Colombia's millitary was more modernized and had more practice fighting with all its anti-guerilla work. Then oil prices shot up and Venezuela's economy had a boon way above its spending commitments and Chavez upgrated its military buying many Russian tanks and he upgraded planes to sukhoi planes, etc, giving him the edge on conventional warfare thought with less experienced troops.
Venezuela is #1 oil reserves nation on the planet! I guess they're to be taken seriously as well...Columbia should just legalize and start taxing coke growers.
Originally posted by AThousandYoung Is there a large naval base at the headwaters of the Orinoco? What's the terrain like there? I'm guessing mountainous, rainy and foresty.
Some rivers from the Amazon connect with the Oronoco. The Delta of the Orinoco is mostly in Venezuelan waters, but their upgrades there have also been mainly Russian weapons including subs. Colombia could certainly defend itself but could probably use additional modernizations to deal with conventional foreign threats such as taks, migs, subs, etc. With the tropical and mountainous terrain across much of their shared border Colombia's experience with counter-insurgency and rebel fighting would certainly come in handy.
Originally posted by eljefejesus It's still not fun for the residents and the parents of soldiers and the businessmen and the foreign investors and anyone who gives a hoot about those countries' developments. Chavez harbors some guerillas, Colombia embarasses Venezuela before the international community by showing facts that support these charges and raising the accusations before inte r poverty reduction, if anything the spat has cost both sides significant economic progress.
Undoubtedly the mean-spirited nature of these arguments offers no benefit to the countries involved, but I wouldn't say they seriously hinder economic progress, especially considering just how short-lived they are. Furthermore, chavez's threats could hardly be taken seriously, he has a sharp tongue and a well-known tendency to be publicly hostile towards leaders he disagrees with, his threats have no substance whatsoever.
Originally posted by eljefejesus Some rivers from the Amazon connect with the Oronoco. The Delta of the Orinoco is mostly in Venezuelan waters, but their upgrades there have also been mainly Russian weapons including subs. Colombia could certainly defend itself but could probably use additional modernizations to deal with conventional foreign threats such as taks, migs, subs, etc. Wi ...[text shortened]... Colombia's experience with counter-insurgency and rebel fighting would certainly come in handy.
My thinking is that the river runs west to east right down the center of Venezuela. It would be a good means of sending troops, goods or whatever from Colombia through Venezuela.
Venezuela and Colombia
07 Aug '10 12:31
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