Shock reversal: Chavez tells FARC they might as well just quit.
Here’s a little dedication, going out to new FARC commander Alfonso Cano, from…Hugo in Caracas.
It’s not very often I agree with Hugo Chavez, but I can’t really disagree with him on this:
In his weekly television and radio programme on Sunday, Mr Chavez urged Mr Cano to “let all these people go”.
“There are old folk, women, sick people, soldiers who have been prisoners in the mountain for 10 years,” he added.
“The guerrilla war is history. At this moment in Latin America, an armed guerrilla movement is out of place.”
BBC Americas editor Emilio San Pedro says the message amounts to all-out about-face for a man who a few months called on the world to recognise the Farc as a legitimate army.
Wow, they’ve had a bad year, and it just got worse. Without Papa Hugo backing them, the FARC is running short of allies in this hemisphere. Maybe they should follow this lady’s lead and hang up their Kalashnikovs.
On the other hand, if you’ve got Nancy Pelosi and Obama in your corner, Chavez is small fry.
UPDATE: Chavez recently announced a controversial counterintelligence scheme that would have forced citizens to spy on each other. In the same announcement in which he addressed the FARC, he also mentioned he was withdrawing the new law.
____________________
{Post by See-Dubya} Cano’s name was corrected.
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Makes me wonder if there is another agenda going on here. Farc is too loose a cannon and Chavez might just want a litle more control over them.
BTW hope you dont mind See-dubya if I do this here
o/t but would like some input on a couple of Online polls I have up
Which of these ideas would best advance an online conservative agenda ?
and
What is the best hope for the GOP in 2008 ?
Hugo’s been chewing on the cocoa too long.. he can’t remember who he’s for and who he’s against.
Yes, but isn’t this after the Columbian Army has killed or captured most of FARC? And probably getting better at it as well. Bush’s fault – likely.
Apparently, El Pusgutto is not aware (or does not care) that, without those hostages, there no longer is any reason not to blast the crap out of all of the great liberators.
Hey my mom sent me this they found water on Mars. Someone tell Hugo don’t give up what does Obama say “Yes We Can” enable all the dictators who hate America.
http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/0504/WaterOnMars2_gcc.jpg
FARC is getting its keister kicked on the field of battle. It’s almost finished and Hugo realizes he’s bet on the wrong horse.
Two Venezuelan agents were caught on Colombian territory trying to hand FARC 40,000 rounds of ammunition.
Big Problem for Hugo, who still wonders if the US will put him on the state sponsors of terror list over the revelations in the FARC computer.
Very big problem. Not only was there the FARC financing, the FARC offices in Fuerte Tiuna park (that’s the Vz pentagon), the oil deal, the promises to overthrow the Colombian government, the recent movie of a top farc official making a movie from a clearly venezuelan backdrop, there was now Hugo Chavez caught redhanded trying to give FARC ammunition, a lot of ammunition.
What could he do but try to divert attention. Rest assured, he’s trying to resurrect the vanquished FARC into a ‘peace process’ where FARC will be rewarded for its past terrorism with land, guaranteed political power, state money, all at Colombia’s expense. And fattened by cash, it will carry on its war of terror.
Hugo is trying to pull FARC’s chestnuts out of the fire and divert attention to his latest incident of supporting FARC.
FARC may ‘disarm’ when it should be surrendering, just so it can give Chavez’s ‘goodwill’ rather than US superior firepower and training the credit. No one should be fooled by this.
If Hugo is serious about disarming FARC, he will hand over Timochenko, Alfonso Cano and Ivan Marquez, three FARC leaders he’s still sheltering on Venezuelan soil. He will shut the 16 FARC bases on Venezuelan soil. He will end drug routes for FARC traffickers over Venezuelan territory and restore cooperation with the DEA so the dirtbags can be apprehended. Is he doing any of that?
No.
Don’t breathe easy gang, Hugo may be a wanker of the first order, but he isn’t going to throw his terrorist buddies under the bus that easily. This sounds like a poorly executed rope a dope. They did what? But I just denounced them.. how can you blame me?????
Be ready for action down south.
Vivita, re: 7 & 8, Well done, looks like someone did some research
or knows first hand…
Whatever Hugo’s motives are they are self-serving… maybe they (he) caught a glimpse of one of those lovely drones.
Hmmmmm.
New question for the 2009 SAT…
Q: Hugo Chavez:FARC::Obama:________
1) Hamas
2) Rev. Wright
3) FARC
4) Hezbollah
5) Weather Underground
6) Michelle Obama
Choose the BEST answer.
Thanks, #10.
Spoken like a true fighter, Coca Boy ! Gutless pig. I think the drugs are creating a high level of paranoia. He sees the U.S. Army coming out of the bushes.
spo-con
You can bet that if the US military came out of the bushes pig-face would crap all over himself …
RE: post #2
It would be nice if it had been stated that this poll is sponsred by the McCain campaign as a disclaimer…
I do not see what relevance it has to Hugo Chavez and FARC….
Umm Not its not its my private poll however the website that hosts me puts up its own banners and I guess because I used the word “McCain” in my poll it is triggering that ad to pop up. I dont control the adverts on that site.
Thank you for the clarification, Mr. Amos
RE: post 17:
On June 8th, 2008 at 11:00 pm, love2rumba said:
On June 8th, 2008 at 11:23 pm, William Amos said:
I thought I’d fix my block quotes so as to be clear to the reader as to what you said and I said, Mr. Amos. I offer my apologies for any confusion given otherwise to the reader, and I wish William Amos goodnight.
Thank you and goodnight love2rumba
Here is a good piece from our Venezuelan friend in the Venezuelan boondocks, Daniel at Venezuela News & Views.
He sees things the same way I do.
Also, Venezuelans took to the streets to protest Chavez’s directive forcing them to spy on each other and Il Duce had to back down. He must be having some bad hair days.
There is also the possibility that FARC has not been able to get it done for 40 years and they are old and worn out with little chance of picking up new blood since Columbia really wants peace to move their economy forward.
So now Hugo wants to be center stage and gain all the credit for what was already a free fall collapse.
It pains me that when we are making so much progress against terrorists around the World, we are about to elect Jimmy Carter II and put ourselves right back behind the 8-Ball.
How many weeks after Election Day does Hugo wait before stoking up FARC again and Kadaffy (Qadaffi? Kwadafi? Whatever?) starts making chemical weapons again?
Chavez wouldn’t pull support for no reason. And no way am I going to believe he actually wants FARC to surrender or disarm. He only wants to be seen as a ‘peacemaker’ and gain the respect of the Noble Prize people – isn’t that coming up soon?
Nope. Chavez is in it for Chavez. Don’t let the silk purse fool you; he is still a sow’s ear.
ROFL
Who needs a foreign despot in your corner, when we have our own here at home supporting them?
might this about face have something to do with the newly regrouped 4th Navy returning to the waters in Latin America?
When your enemies enemy is no longer your friend, the house of cards has collapsed.
Several things are in play here & trusting Chavez to do the right thing for the right reason is ridiculous.
The captured laptops have tons of evidence tying him to FARC, FARC has been decimated recently, the very real possibility of Venezula being designated a state sponsor of terrorism & the economic isolation that follows, the lack of foreign investment happening after he has nationalized oil & other industries is beginning to drag on the economy.
All of these add up to Chavez deciding to cut his losses & try to show the world he is a good guy & dodge the state sponsor rap. I don’t believe for one minute he has changed what he believes, just a shrewd politico making the best of a bad situation
It would seem that socialist flip-flopping is not the exclusive domain of American Politics.
Two points must be noted as an explanation of Chavez’ latest announcement. First, as Vivita notes above, the Colombian military is having excellent success against the FARC. This arises from training and equipment from the US and, to a lesser extent, the UK, internal changes in the Colombian military which have led to increased professionalism (though problems continue), a strategy of rapid mobilization which the FARC cannot counteract (see Bret Stephen’s WSJ piece last week where he argues that Terrorism CAN be defeated miliarily)and improved intelligence (silently helped by the Israelis).
The second factor causing Chavez’ comment is the computer of Raul Reyes. A lot has already come out connecting Chavez with the FARC, but only a small amount of the total has really been released. I am pretty sure that Chavez is concerned about what hasn’t come out and is hoping to stem Colombian government leaks about the contents by coming out with this statement. I am reaching the conclusion that the capture of Reyes’ computer (really 3 computers 2 external hard drives and 3 memory sticks) may be one of the all-time great intelligence coups.
One other point not to forget about Chavez…he’s nuts. He can turn a 180 on this on a dime. Don’t be surprised if he says the complete opposite before the end of July.