If Colombia is Latin America's Israel, does that make Venezuela the Region's Iran?

The yearly two month Cold War between Colombia and Venezuela has come this summer amidst talks between the US and Colombia to place approximately seven US bases in Colombian territory in order to aid US anti-drugs forces. A week ago as a response, Venezuela withdrew its ambassador from Colombia and is threatening to restrict trade relations between the two countries. Claims by Chavez that Colombia is Latin America’s “Israel” has mapped the policy approach Venezuela has taken against Colombia. Some who support Chavez’s point of view echo the same concerns, but support for and against the US and Colombia taking closer security ties has not placed the entire continent against Colombia, in a larger way, actions between Colombia and its neighbors is making Venezuela look more like the region’s “Iran”, as opposed to making Colombia into Latin America’s Israel.

Venezuela, Ecuador, Uruguay and Bolivia have expressed their stance against the US bases, even though there was one US base in Ecuador until recently. Trade restrictions by Chavez against Colombia may refocus attention on the US’s criticisms against a Free Trade Agreement between the US and Colombia, but might backfire due to many US policymakers wishing to not support actions by Venezuela against Colombia. Evidence found by the Colombian military that some critical FARC bases were located in Ecuador lead to an attack last year, culminating in last year’s two month Cold War among the Andean states. Upon analyzing the rubble, more information was found as claimed by Colombia’s government showing support for the FARC coming from Venezuela itself. In reality, claims by Chavez always are measured against his belief that the US will assassinate him, or lead an invasion of Venezuela via Colombia. While this might be at best plausible and very unlikely, Venezuela, as opposed to Colombia have been purchasing some of the best weapons technology worldwide, arming its Air Force with the SU-27 series of fighter interceptors which are continually upgraded and can match any other fighter jets worldwide, especially the 1970s era F-21/Kfirs used by Colombia’s Air force. Venezuela also mobilized its military on the border between the two nations last year after Colombia attacked the FARC base inside of Ecuador in order to prevent an invasion by Colombia inside Venezuela, as claimed by Chavez. While not reported in much of mainstream media, tacit support for the FARC by Venezuela was claimed by Colombian officials as including heavy and advanced weapons from the Venezuelan Army directly, as well as funding for the FARC being signed off by Venezuela’s leaders themselves.

While the debate continues regarding Chavez’s extent of support for the FARC, in the Middle East, Iran’s support for its clients in Hizbollah have been quelled with an open election in Lebanon showing popular support against them and protests in Iran itself showing how media blackouts and oppression of the opposition can only fool some, but not many as young Iranians continue to protest amongst bullets and continually are subjected to torture in Iran’s infamous Evin Prison. The recent referendum allowing Chavez to be elected indefinitely does not hold the same opposition limits as elections in Iran as the electorate still ahs the ability to vote out Chavez if desired. This is not as easy as one would think, as opposition leaders claim that during elections there are numerous acts of opression. One current example is a recent law against media who choose to attack the ruling government, stinking of a growing fight against the opposition, many who claim that in elections they have been not only silenced, but people have disappeared for opposing the Chavez government. This will now become law, unfortunate for any journalists in Venezuela or those who choose to criticize Chavez and plan to work or visit there. While Chavez does enjoy some popular support and has taken many actions to fight against poverty in the region, his support for Iran’s government and against populist support for the opposition in Iran runs against the basic ideologies of Latin America’s populist leader and shows how Chavez’s self interest and power in the region overrides his ideology that the people’s will should control the state. His support for Iran’s government is so absurd that a recent law allowing the Iranian government to execute those Muslims who convert to other religions, including Christianity, would surely persecute those who would convert to the same faith as the majority of Venezuelans share themselves.

The rest of South America has stated passive opposition or simply left Colombia’s sovereignty to Colombia in this policy mess. While many including Lula of Brazil feel that the addition of bases could have been handled more tactfully and openly, in the end the US bases will likely be set in some form or numbers. With regards to Venezuela, a unlikely US attack would more likely come from the numerous bases located across the waters from Caracas in Louisiana, Texas, Alabama and Florida, where a good number of US Forces are based. The support for bases in Colombia in this case does not make a great deal of sense, as unless short haul aircraft are used to track narco-trafficking, many of the air bases in Colombia would be within an hour flight from the US in any case. This is a matter for debate, and I encourage readers to place their comments, but for me the question is not whether or not the US should be able to have bases in Colombia, but more so why would they need them considering the troubles politically having them on Colombian soil?

UPDATE August 8th 2009: According to the BBC World Service Broadcast, Venezuela has now returned its Ambassador to Colombia. Accusations by Colombia today that Chavez has been supporting the FARC may have had some influence on the return of the Ambassador.