US plans to use Colombia for attack on Venezuela: Chavez

Caracas, Dec 29 (IANS/EFE) The US is preparing to attack Venezuela using Colombian soldiers under the pretext of attacking guerrilla camps supposedly located on Venezuelan soil, President Hugo Chavez has said.

Chavez Monday said during a military ceremony that “the verbal war” began several days ago when spokespersons of the Colombian government again accused Venezuela of having guerrilla camps on its territory and protecting rebel leaders.

“Repeating it so often has some people believing it, and with that they prepare what they call ‘a false positive’ to launch an attack on Venezuela simulating the existence of a guerrilla camp,” Chavez said.

The “false positive” would consist of shifting into Venezuela people killed in Colombia, building an improvised camp, planting rifles and guerrilla propaganda and presenting it to the world as confirmation of their accusations, Chavez said.

The president said that he has “evidence” of this plan and added that the story, once concluded, would be spread around the world by the oligarchy-owned media and by Washington’s “great ability to fool the world”.

The president said that the operation is being prepared with spy planes and unmanned drones that take off from US bases in Colombia and fly over Venezuelan air space.

“Hopefully common sense will prevail in the Colombian government, but the thing is that those in charge are in Washington,” Chavez said.

Colombian Defence Minister Gabriel Silva said Dec 18 that his government had identified 60 direct collaborators with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, guerrilla group in several countries around the world including Venezuela, where intelligence reports indicate some 15 rebels operate.

Chavez said it was “absolutely false” that there were any rebel leaders or camps in Venezuela.

The president spoke about the situation during the armed forces Christmas ceremony that is held at the nation’s military bases and on this occasion was at Fort Mara, the chief military bastion in the northwestern region, attended by some 5,000 soldiers.

–IANS/EFE