Panama Offers To Mediate Crisis Between Colombia and Venezuela
The Vice President and Foreign Minister of Panama, Juan Carlos Varela, said today his country has offered to help ease the diplomatic tension between Venezuela and Colombia, which he said may increase with the incoming government of president-elect Juan Manuel Santos. "The departure of President (Alvaro) Uribe, and the inauguration of president (elect Juan Manuel) Santos without any doubt creates a level of tension in relationships, and we want this to be handled through dialog and the normalization of the situation among all of the countries of the region," Varela told reporters. "Therefore Panama could play an important role in this dialog, seeking harmony and smooth relations between Colombia, Venezuela and the region," he added.
The new chapter of tension between Venezuela and Colombia, whose diplomatic and trade relations have been frozen for almost a year due to the decision of the Venezuelan president, Hugo Chávez, began anew last week when the Colombian government said they have "evidence" of the presence of Colombian FARC guerrilla leaders in the neighboring nation. Following the Colombian complaints Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez recalled its ambassador in Bogotá, Gustavo Marquez, and announced he would not attend Santos' inauguration on 7 August 2010, and warned there could be a "break in bilateral relations."
Varela said on Friday, Santos will make a visit to Panama to meet with President Ricardo Martinelli. "We have (with Colombia) the closure of a bilateral Free Trade Agreement, safety issues, cooperation and trade, (so) our relations with president (elect) Santos will be smooth," he said. On the other hand, Varela said this week Martinelli will send "a formal letter of invitation for President Chavez to visit our country." Varela said Panama has "very important" connections and relations with Venezuela and reiterated that at this time his country "can play an important role in making a call for dialog between the sister countries of Colombia and Venezuela." (La Prensa)
Editor's Comment: "...and if Chavez doesn't see things our way, then we'll pop a cap and load his ass up with some bird shot, like we do with the rest of those left wing commie bastards..." The idea that this government of Panama could fill the role as a peace maker or arbitrator between Colombia and Venezuela is ludicrous - considering they just spent a couple of weeks stomping left wing radicals into the ground - you know, the people who think like Hugo Chavez. While he's here in Panama Hugo can check on his employees, SUNTRACS, FRENADESO, FER-29, and Balbina Herrera. Hey, everyone knows that Chavez is running coke through Cuba to the US, right? Just checking... He has the FARC in Caracas because, you know, they get the best blow. 'Alo, Presidente... (snort) Oh, and for the record - I think it's absolutely hilarious that one of the "screaming banshees" (a.k.a. the "future felon") has been reduced to reading my website every day, looking for ways to glean a little nugget here or there that he can try to use to spin a little attention for himself - a sorry mix of pathetic, nuts, and deplorable, all crammed into one little insignificant bag of crap. Apparently I'm his only source of entertainment. (Hey dude, there's pills for that...)
