MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

US military have no evidence of Venezuela, FARC and ETA links

General Douglas Fraser, Commander of US Southern Command, Miami

The chief of the US military's Southern Command, General Douglas Fraser, said during a hearing before the US Senate that he had no evidence of links between Venezuela, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), a Colombian guerrilla group and the Basque separatist group ETA.

However, he admitted that the US Southern Command is “watching very closely”. He did not provide further details of the military monitoring operation in Venezuela, the Venezuelan state-run news agency Agencia Bolivariana de Noticias (ABN) reported.

“We have not seen any connections specifically that I can verify that there have been a direct government-to-terrorist connection” Fraser said. This was the description he used to refer to the groups which international media have insistently tried to link with the government of President for Hugo Chávez Frías, ABN said.

However Arturo Valenzuela, US Assistant State Secretary for Latinamerican affairs said on Wednesday before the House or Representatives that “there are some indications that there has been some kind of assistance” from Caracas to FARC.

Fraser admitted there are “old evidences” of assistance, but “I couldn’t say if that continues to be the case or not”.

A judge of the Spanish National Court commenced an investigation to establish alleged Venezuela's participation in the relation between the Colombian guerrillas FARC and the Basque separatist ETA.

In Madrid Spanish Deputy Prime Minister María Teresa Fernández de la Vega said on Friday that Spain has the support of Venezuela in the fight against the armed Basque group ETA, as it occurs with other countries like France or Portugal.

Fernández de la Vega made these remarks during a press conference held after a meeting of the Council of Ministers.

The top Spanish official was asked about the detention in Portugal on Thursday of alleged ETA member Andoni Zengotitabengoa while attempting to board a flight to Venezuela using a fake Mexican passport, according to reports from Lisbon.

“We are cooperating and acting in cooperation with all countries, with Portugal, as it has been shown, but also with Venezuela,” the Spanish Deputy Prime Minister said.

Zengotitabengoa had been on the run since a police raid last month revealed hundreds of kilograms of explosives at the house he shared with another ETA member near the Portuguese city of Obidos. His accomplice has not been apprehended.

The arrest is the latest in a comprehensive effort by Spain, France and Portugal to work together to capture ETA members, who are thought to be seeking new hideouts in Portugal and Northern France after coming under increased police pressure in Spain and southern France.

ETA is considered a terrorist organization by the European Union and United States and is blamed for over 800 deaths during its 41-year armed struggle for independence for the Basque region of northern Spain and southwest France.