Caracas, November 21: Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said the destruction of "illegal" pedestrian bridges at the border with Colombia was "routine," and said the government would continue to eliminate them.
Chavez said Saturday that the military had destroyed two bridges in the state of Tachira because they were used by traffickers of narcotics and other contraband.
He accused Bogota of mounting a "media operation to paint us as the aggressors - a strategy used by the Colombian oligarchy" with the help the press.
"The destucion of those illegal bridges is routine," he said during an international conference of leftist political parties. "We will continue to destroy the clandestine routes and laboratories for processing drugs that come from Colombia."
Chavez dismissed Colombia's protests to international agencies alleging that the destruction of the bridges was a grave offence during heightened tensions between the neighbouring countries.
He said the destroyed structures were pedestrian bridges, in spite of Colombia's attempts to compare them to the iconic Golden Gate in the United States.
"For years we have been dismantling illegal passages, neutralizing them, in many areas, not only over a river but also under the river," Chavez said.
------Agencies
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The Venezuelan people have a
The Venezuelan people have a right to choose their leader and they chose Hugo Chavez Frias. Chavez embodies all their aspirations: education, health, jobs, and most importantly full access to their natural resources. If you were a nation or corporation extracting those resources, you would not be happy.
Cooperatives and Normalization
Venezuela and Columbia (for all the artificial hubub about these bridges) are getting along decently well. Venezuela has been working with leftist movements throughout Latin America, planning strategies to keep out the IMF and the World Bank, taking back national industries from private baron-robbers, and encouraging grassroots cooperatives in every corner of the country. Point: I think this article is trash and no one cares about pedestrian bridges. Chill out.
hugo chavez
He is a rare leader. One who doesn't allow his country to be taken by corporations. Therefore the image that is portrayed here in the united states is of an evil man. He was there for katrina victims before our worthless piece of devil former president. But that never got national attention.
Chavez is seen as an 'evil
Chavez is seen as an 'evil man' in Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil...etc. The image the U.S. portrays is neutral in comparison to those by the countries most affected by Chavez's silly dictatorship and stale economy.
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