‘North American Empire’ Seeks to ‘Internationalize’ Conflict with Colombia …

The governments of Venezuela and Ecuador are massing troops along the border with Colombia, and are charging that the United States is behind a Colombian attack on Ecuadorian territory that killed a FARC commander and 16 others on Saturday. According this news account from Tal Cual of Venezuela, that nation’s foreign minister said Monday, ‘Colombia has become the launching point for organized aggression, war and violence throughout the region … A practical demonstration of this is what is going on in Ecuador.’ He went on to say, ‘the United States is mounting a campaign against our country, our President and our institutions. The campaign that has now been launched against Correa [President of Ecuador] is a campaign of empire.’

Translated by Miguel Guttierez

March 3, 2008

Venezuela – Tal Cual – Original Article (Spanish)

Venezuelan Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro said that Plan Colombia, the program to battle drug trafficking that is financially and logistically backed by the United States, has turned Colombia into a platform for aggression and war on our Continent.

“Colombia has become the launching point for organized aggression, war and violence throughout the region … A practical demonstration of this is what is going on in Ecuador,” said the Minister, referring to the three-way conflict between against Colombia by Ecuador and Venezuela, which was sparked when Colombian troops killed the FARC’s second in command, Raul Reyes, on Ecuadorian territory.

[Editor's Note: The FARC, shorthand for the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia-People's Army, is a left-wing guerilla group that now controls about 40 percent of Colombian territory [see map on right]. Funded largely through drug-trafficking, the group is the central target of U.S. sponsored Plan Colombia, a package of military and non-military aid that has cost about $3 billion over the past five years ].

Maduro said that the operation undertaken by the “North American empire” and the Colombian bourgeoisie seeks the “internationalization of the conflict.” …

READ ON AT WORLDMEETS.US, along with continuing translated coverage of the brewing conflict in South America as it involves the United States.