U.S. ambassador in Venezuela concerned about Latin America terrorists

www.sfgate.com Friday, March 7, 2003
(03-07) 15:58 PST CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) --

The United States is concerned that international terror groups have established bases in all Latin American countries, the U.S. ambassador to Venezuela said Friday.

Ambassador Charles Shapiro's comments follow those made Tuesday in Miami by the U.S. Southern Command's Gen. James Hill that terror organizations, including the militant Lebanese group Hezbollah, were operating in border areas of Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay and on Venezuela's Margarita Island.

Hill said operatives were taking advantage of smuggling hotspots and weak institutions to channel funds to international terrorist groups.

"I don't want to accuse anybody but we are on alert," Shapiro said after meeting with Venezuelan Vice President Jose Vicente Rangel. "We are ready to collaborate with the Venezuelan government to seek out terrorism that may exist in this country."

Shapiro said he met with Rangel to discuss "the possible and very probable war against Iraq." He did not elaborate.

Venezuela, home to the largest oil reserves outside the Middle East, is a key oil supplier to the United States. Recent exports were hobbled, however, by a failed two-month strike demanding President Hugo Chavez's resignation or early elections.

On Thursday, Energy and Mines Minister Rafael Ramirez said Venezuela would abide by any Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries decision to suspend its quota system during a war on Iraq. Venezuela is an OPEC member.

OPEC will meet Tuesday in Vienna, Austria, to evaluate production quotas.