Venezuela wants
peace with Colombia, confirms Chávez
CARACAS.— President Hugo Chávez today confirmed
that Venezuela’s only aspiration is to live in peace
with Colombia, although the winds of war promoted by
the United States in the region are forcing the
nation to prepare itself for possible acts of
aggression.
"As Simón Bolívar said, peace is our port and we
have spent the past 11 years saying that that is
what we want," affirmed Chávez in La Guajira, Zulia,
where he went to salute soldiers from the Western
Integral Defense Region.
The dignitary confirmed that the priority of his
administration is to work toward guaranteeing a
dignified life for the citizens of the country.
"We are here to peacefully build the homeland of
the future, which is already starting to become a
reality, and not to attack anyone," he noted,
lamenting the fact that recent events are heading in
the opposite direction.
Following the escalation of the Colombian-Venezuelan
conflict, caused by the installation of seven U.S.
military bases on Colombian territory, Bogotá has
announced the strengthening of its military
contingent on the border, along with verbal attacks
on the part of Defense Minister Gabriel Silva.
Caracas has also condemned the incursion into its
territory of Colombian paramilitaries and a drone
aircraft, presumably engaged on intelligence tasks.
These are indicators of aggression, warned
Chávez.
For the head of state, the only possible
responses are defense preparations and maintaining
calm in order not to rise to provocations. (PL)
