The United States accepts the invitation to meet South American leaders to discuss the U.S. use of military
bases in Colombia, the U.S. ambassador to Bogota said Wednesday.
Even though the United States are no member of the United Nations of South America (UNASUR), it will attend the next summit to discuss the South American countries’ concern that the U.S. military would attack neighboring countries of Colombia with the excuse of fighting drugs and terrorism, ambassador William Brownfield told local media.
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez showed Friday South American Presidents
attending a UNASUR summit what he said was a U.S. military strategy
document and accused the North Americans of using the Colombian military bases to forward operations that seek to dominate the
hemisphere.
Chavez said the U.S. will use the Palanquero base as a transport hub to control the South American continent when necessary.
Both Chavez and his Ecuadorean counterpart Rafael Correa asked Obama to
meet with them urgently and want UNASUR’s Defense Council to study the
possible implications for South American countries of the U.S. alleged
strategy in Latin America.
Colombia and the United States are close to signing a military agreement that allows the U.S. military to operate from seven Colombian bases.