Obama Will ‘Regret’ Failure to ‘Back Up’ Colombia: El Tiempo, Colombia

But Thanksgiving or no, world news rolls relentlessly on.

Somewhat overshadowed by other major news stories, the trouble between Venezuela and Colombia, exacerbated by the impending opening of seven U.S. military bases on Colombian territory – continues to brew. And according to this article by columnist Mauricio Vargas of Colombia’s El Tiempo, the feeling in Bogota is that President Obama isn’t doing much to help our staunchest south American ally deal with “psychopath” Hugo Chavez – nor is any of Colombia’s immediate neighbors.

For El Tiempo, Mauricio Vargas writes in part:

“Foreign Minister Jaime Bermudez was completely in the right when he complained to the pompous Unasur [Union of South American Nations] for its silence in regard to the ongoing aggressions of Hugo Chavez. These aggressions are no longer just verbal, as demonstrated by the demolition of two pedestrian bridges on the [Colombia-Venezuela] border, and the indifference of the Chavez regime over the murders, on their own land, of a group of humble Colombians.”

“[Brazil President] Lula is silent. [Chilean President] Mrs. Bachelet, who has declared how worried she is about U.S. use of Colombian military bases, has also turned a blind eye. [Argentine President] Mrs. Fernandez de Kirchner, forget about it, but of course she has a briefcase with $800,000 that Chavez sent her to justify himself. This is a cowardly and indignant silence. It is the silence of the many that prevailed when the Nazis carted away the Jews to concentration camps. This passivity later cost the indifferent dearly, because the Nazis eventually came for them as well. If this region allows Chavez to behave this way toward Colombia, its leaders must be aware that the psychopath’s fury will eventually turn against them.

“What can be said about the administration of Barack Obama, who seems so comfortable in his silence. One day he’ll regret not managing to back up his only genuine ally in the region, which hasn’t been bought off by Chavez’ petrodollars, like ousted Manuel Zelaya and many others, and has extradited hundreds of drug traffickers and substantially reduced the production and exportation of cocaine so that less white powder reaches the noses of its addicts.”

By Mauricio Vargas

Translated By Liz Essary

November 24, 2009

Colombia – El Tiempo – Original Article (Spanish)

Foreign Minister Jaime Bermudez was completely in the right when he complained to the pompous Unasur [Union of South American Nations] for its silence in regard to the ongoing aggressions of Hugo Chavez. These aggressions are no longer just verbal, as demonstrated by the demolition of two pedestrian bridges on the [Colombia-Venezuela] border, and the indifference of the Chavez regime over the murders, on their own land, of a group of humble Colombians. The fact of the matter is that a founding member and president of Unasur threatened a neighbor with war and carried out actions worthy of a terrorist organization hasn’t warranted a single comment from Unasur as an institution, nor from the governments that comprise it.

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