Venezuelan presidential candidate Henrique Capriles on Monday said President Hugo Chavez, who is running for reelection on Sunday, is “an accomplice of the Colombian guerrillas.”
In a press conference in the Venezuelan capital Caracas, Capriles said that “we have a government that is an accomplice of the Colombian guerrillas. That will change,” if the opposition presidential hopeful is elected.
“A government led by us would accelerate the Colombia peace process. A progressive government in Venezuela will stop being a refuge for rebels, for armed groups,” he said.
Chavez has previously been accused of aiding Colombian rebel group FARC by the United States and Colombian former President Alvaro Uribe and has been facing increasing crime rates in the border region, partly due to the presence of Colombian armed groups.
The Venezuelan president has vehemently denied supporting Colombian rebels and has improved ties with sitting Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos, although FARC and ELN guerrillas continue to use Venezuelan territory as refuge.