Colombia’s Ex-President Andres Pastrana urged current President Juan Manuel Santos to defend his predecessor, Alvaro Uribe, who is accused by Venezuela of being an accomplice in two murder plots.
In an open letter to Santos, Pastrana called for the president to dismiss Maduro’s murder claims.
Pastrana called Santos’ failure to comment on the accusations “complacent” and said he must put aside his political differences with Uribe.
“Personal feuds and political differences must be thrown out and the silence, which is already bordering on complacency, must be broken to confront this serious accusation against someone who has held the highest national rank.”
On Friday, Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro publicly claimed, “Uribe is behind a plot to kill me. Uribe is a killer. […] I have enough evidence of who is conspiring, and there are sectors of the Venezuelan right involved.”
As well as the murder plot claims, Maduro accused ex-President Uribe of being responsible for the assassination of a Venezuelan sports journalist.
MORE: Venezuela blames Uribe for journalist killing
Uribe rejected the “immature” claims via his official twitter account and suggested that the elections in Venezuela should be repeated.
A la INMADURA acusación de la dictadura DESCABELLADA por el fraude y la violencia una única respuesta: que se repitan las elecciones
— Álvaro Uribe Vélez (@AlvaroUribeVel) May 3, 2013
Sources:
- Pastrana insta a Santos a “romper el silencio” sobre las acusaciones de Maduro contra Uribe (Europa Press)
- Pastrana pidió a Santos romper el silencio ante acusaciones de Nicolás Maduro a Uribe (W Radio)
- Piden a Santos romper el silencio ante acusaciones de Maduro a Uribe (Vanguardia)
- Venezuela leader Maduro alleges Colombia assassination plot (BBC)