Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez will not attend the inauguration of Colombia’s incoming President Juan Manuel Santos following detailed accusations his country is harboring leaders of Colombia’s largest guerrilla group FARC.
Chavez said Friday evening he is turning down Santos’ invitation and is considering breaking all ties to Venezuela’s neighbor to the west after the government of outgoing President Alvaro Uribe requested the Organization of American States to investigate Colombian allegations that the exact Venezuelan location of at least four FARC leaders is known.
“This request is due to the innumerable failed efforts to solve this serious problem through a direct dialogue with Venezuela,” a statement on the website of Colombia’s President said.
The OAS agreed to analyze the accusations on Thursday, the Colombian government daid.
Chavez denies the Colombian accusations. “We aren’t hiding noone,” Chavez said. “If this madness continues I will break relations with Colombia which will make things a lot more difficult.”
According to Chavez, Colombia’s incoming and outgoing are involved in a fight and because of this Uribe is trying to impede an improvement between the two neighbors.
“I will call the President-elect (…) and will ask him to undo what Uribe is doing,” Chavez said.