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Monday, 01 December, 2008, 23:20 GMT | more >>

Bush stands firm with Uribe



By Upstream staff 

US President George W. Bush today accused Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez's government of "provocative manoeuvres" against Colombia and vowed to oppose any act of aggression in the Andean region.

"I told him that America would continue to stand with Colombia," Bush told Reuters about his phone call earlier today with Colombian President Alvaro Uribe.

The Andean region has erupted into a diplomatic and military crisis after a raid by Colombian troops into Ecuador on Saturday that killed Raul Reyes, a top commander of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).

The group is seen as a terrorist group by Uribe and his backer, the US.

Uribe has accused Chavez and Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa of supporting the FARC.

Also today, Bush urged Republican and Democratic lawmakers to put aside differences over a free trade agreement with Colombia and approve the pact in a show of support for Bogota.

"If we fail to approve this agreement, we will let down a close ally. We will damage our credibility in the region and we will embolden the demagogues in our hemisphere," Bush said after his phone conversation with Uribe.

"Republicans and Democrats in Congress need to come together and approve this agreement."


Tuesday, 04 March, 2008, 18:44 GMT  | last updated: Tuesday, 04 March, 2008, 18:44 GMT

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