[A-List] Venezuela: mounting tensions with Uribe

["Michael Keaney" <michael.keaney@xxxxxx>]

The reportage of Venezuela in the FT has been a fine example of the best
traditions of British secret state news reportage. The book authored by Paul
Lashmar and James Oliver -- "Britain's Secret Propaganda War" -- is
essential reading for anyone who thinks that this sort of meddling does not
go on any more, and that anyone who says it does is paranoid, fixated etc.
For example, take this article -- why are we presented with "Venezuela's
Cuban-backed government"? What possible relevance does this have, given that
Cuba is hardly in a position to offer anything other than rhetorical support
to Chavez. "US-supported administration of Colombia's President" gives the
wonderful illusion of balance and objectivity, but in fact merely states
what, on the surface, is already widely known and obscures the fact that
when the US supports an administration it is far more than in a merely
rhetorical sense.


Venezuela seeks arms edge over Colombia
By Andy Webb-Vidal in Caracas
Financial Times: May 27 2004

Venezuela has embarked on a weapons procurement programme to gain the
advantage in its military balance with neighbouring Colombia, edging the two
countries towards an arms race.

General Jorge Garca Carneiro, Venezuela's defence minister, said on Monday
he would unveil, in the next few days, an "integral national defence plan",
including a strengthening of "operational capability".

But according to defence industry sources, President Hugo Chávez has in
recent weeks initiated closely guarded plans to buy military equipment from
suppliers in Europe and the Middle East.

Four European companies - Austria, Belgium, Switzerland and the UK - are
competing in a tender for 200 armoured and tactical vehicles, in a deal
estimated to be worth about $80m.

A delivery of missiles, of unspecified type, is due to be flown into
Venezuela from Israel next week, according to documentation seen by the
Financial Times.

Venezuela's procurement plan is taking place amid a sharp increase in
tensions with Colombia over the capture earlier this month of more than 100
supposedly Colombian paramilitary fighters.

Mr Chávez, who is resisting an opposition drive to secure a recall vote on
his rule, claims that the "mercenaries" were part of an "invasion" force
hired by domestic opponents with links to Colombia and the US.

Opponents have dismissed the incident as a government pretext to round up
dissident military officers, several of whom have been arrested in recent
days.

Either way, Mr Chávez's procurement plans are likely further to unsettle
relations between Venezuela's Cuban-backed government and the US-supported
administration of Colombia's President Alvaro Uribe.

"Fears of a Colombian 'invasion' are unfounded and have more to do with the
paranoia of the Venezuelan government," said Carlos Malamud, senior Latin
America analyst at the Royal Elcano Institute in Madrid. "But to brandish
the ghost of an invasion is an excellent excuse to justify a procurement
process."

Mr Chávez's government is also lobbying Spain to cancel a contract, signed
by former prime minister Jose María Aznar, to supply Colombia with 43 AMX-30
tanks.

The Uribe government has welcomed the Spanish offer as a politically
symbolic sign that the military aid it receives to combat its domestic
insurgency is not limited to the US but also comes from Europe.

However, Colombian officers say the tanks - if delivered - will be
ineffective for their war on guerrillas, and will likely be deployed on
Colombia's border with Venezuela, inflaming tensions.

"Armed conflict between the two countries could arise if the tank sale from
Spain is not suspended," said Edis Ros, deputy head of Venezuela's
legislative defence and security commission.