MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Conflict with the US is “inevitable” warns President Chavez

Pte. Hugo Chavez

Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez said on Wednesday that a conflict with the government of United Sates is “inevitable” since it has consistently supported economically “the oligarch states of Latinamerica” that are not interested in the equality of peoples.

"A confrontation is inevitable because while we want freedom, they want to keep us chained. We want lights of hope and realizations for our peoples and they are committed to keep us in the dark. We want motherlands, they want colonies", said Chavez. The Venezuelan president made the remarks during a political ceremony in a Caracas cultural center when he asked, "how are we to avoid a confrontation, if all that has happened in the last days, the invasion by Colombian military forces of Ecuador and the threats against us are clearly part of the empire's policies?" Chavez said the US has spent time and money in "creating lackeys and supports them financially". Those governments, he emphasized are "fed" by President Bush's cabinet that is intent in ensuring that his colonialist policies are "effectively colonialist". The Venezuelan president also revealed that he had spoken with his French counterpart Nicholas Sarkozy about the diplomatic conflict with Colombia and his dedication to pece. "I told him we are a people and a nation of peace, we're pacifists, we want peace and nothing or anybody is going to remove us from the path to the true peace", said Chavez during the political ceremony. He revealed that during the conversation with Sarkozy they talked about the situation created by the "violation of Ecuadorian sovereignty by the Colombian government". From Paris, Sarkozy called on all Andean countries and "all players concerned" in the crisis to "give proof of moderation". The conversation with Sarkozy was made public a few hours after Minister of Defence Gustavo Rangel reported to Chavez he had complied with the order of displaying military forces along the border with Colombia with the purpose of preventing an alleged aggression from President Alvaro Uribe. Meantime the heated discussions in the permanent council of OAS, and disclosures from the different parties involved in the diplomatic and political crisis are helping to understand the puzzle behind the killing of the FARC rebel leader in Ecuadorian territory by Colombian forces. FARC leader Raul Reyes was preparing in combination with President Chavez, possibly with Ecuadorian president Rafael Correa, a third release of hostages, most probably on March 12, including the French-Colombian Ingrid Betancourt who is seriously ill. This involved also France and Spain, particularly the French president who was determined to obtain the release of Ms. Betancourt and towards the end of February was quoted saying that if necessary "I would fly to the Colombian-Venezuelan jungle to take Ingrid back home to France". Apparently President Uribe two or three days before the attack informed Sarkozy of Colombia's plans which were to capture if possible Reyes and a FARC ideologue alive, but even more important the lap tops containing highly sensitive information which allegedly will help reveal the close political and financial support of Mr Chavez to the FARC guerrillas. Mr. Reyes' interest in direct contacts with the French presidency was geared to obtain the delisting of FARC as a terrorist organization, as she is currently considered by the European Union and the US. President Chavez, his regional allies such as Mr. Correa, Bolivia's Evo Morales, and Nicaragua Daniel Ortega refer to the FARC as "insurgents", and want international recognition as such.