Colombian opposition Senator Piedad Cordoba Friday called on the global leftist community to support Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, who, according to the Senator, the United States is trying to isolate to avoid his “revolution” to succeed.
Cordoba, who has supported the Venezuelan President on numerous occassions over the past few years, rejected the U.S.-Colombia plan to allow the American military to use Colombian military bases and civilian airports to combat terrorism and drug trafficking in and around Colombia.
Chavez sees this military pact as a threat for the sovereignty of his country and other countries in the region, froze diplomatic relations and is trying to end trade with Colombia. Chavez also accuses the U.S. and Colombia of trying to actively destabilize Venezuela by sending Colombian right-wing paramilitary fighters over the border. Because of this, authorities blew up two footbridges that connected Venezuelan and Colombian territory in the north of the border region.
According to Cordoba, the military agreement is “the first step of an imperialist escalation” in the region that will be followed by a military intervention in Venezuela.
“I think they will begin to create the circumstances that make it possible to isolate Venezuela, isolate President Chavez and will generate a series of alliances to undermine the process (of Chavez’ Bolivarian revolution). I think the second step is to go there,” the senator said on Venezuelan state television.
Cordoba’s speech was part of the Internetional Meeting of Leftist Parties, organized by Chavez’ Venezuelan United Socialists Party (PSUV) and attended by 150 delegates from 40 countries.
The Colombian Senator called on the international leftist community to confront and neutralize plans for the “right wing” against Venezuela.
Cordoba is a long-time supporter of Chavez, who is considered the fiercest critic of U.S. foreign politics and on a regular basis clashed with Colombia’s right-wing government.
