Verbal war over Colombian guerrilla presence in Venezuela hots up

www.vheadline.com Posted: Wednesday, March 05, 2003 By: Patrick J. O'Donoghue

The verbal war between Colombia and Venezuela is heating up as Colombian authorities say they are going to do something about alleged incursions of Colombian guerrillas into Venezuela.

Colombian secret police (DAS) chief in La Guajira, Luz Marina Rodriguez says the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and National Liberation Army of Colombia (ELN) are entering Venezuela via the Perija mountain range. "We are investigating the allegations … we know the former group uses Venezuela as a resting place.”

Colombian government sources accuse the Venezuelan government of turning a blind eye to the incursions.

• DAS chief in Arauca, Hugo Hernan Jimenez complains that guerrillas cross over to Apure on a permanent basis.

Two days ago, Federation of Colombian Municipalities director, Gilberto Toro claimed that top FARC leaders are actually hiding out in the Venezuelan jungle and accuses President Chavez Frias of turning a blind eye and letting the guerrilla chiefs use Venezuela as a distention zone.