Ongoing peace talks between Colombia’s government and the FARC are “electoral propaganda” for Hugo Chavez, claimed former president Alvaro Uribe Tuesday.
Uribe and other Colombian senators claimed the intervention of Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez in the peace process is not only a ploy for Chavez to be re-elected, but poses a risk to national sovereignty.
Uribe has slammed the peace talks over the past week, asking on Monday: “Can they negotiate human rights with terrorism? This is inadmissable, this is a democratic country.”
The former Colombian president has also claimed that the peace talks with the FARC are being held as a favor for Hugo Chavez to help ensure his re-election in October. The talks are “electoral propaganda where Chavez can say he managed to seat the Colombian peace talks,” said Uribe, according to Peruvian website Peru 21.
U Party president, Senator Juan Lozano, asked for clarification of the Venezuelan president’s role in a Senate debate on Tuesday, according to newspaper El Espectador.
“We can’t depend on the good labor of Hugo Chavez for the peace process because it would affect our national sovereignty,” said the political leader.
“I don’t intervene in the affairs of Venezuela, Hugo Chavez should not intervene in the affairs of Colombia. If there are facilitators that is fine, but how far can we accept the intervention and interference of Chavez?” said Lozano.
Senator Carlos Ramirez also criticized the interference of Chavez, asserting that the Venezuelan leader was involving himself because it would benefit his chances of being re-elected in October.
According to El Espectador it was Chavez who earlier this year, told the Colombian government that the guerrillas were ready for the peace process.