Fire-brand left wing Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez could be a very popular man in Colombia if he is able to secure the safe release of three Colombian hostages from the hands of the leftist rebel group FARC. This would be a major diplomatic success for President Chavez who, just a month ago, was denied any further negotiation effort with the FARC by the US-aligned Colombian President Alvaro Uribe for allegedly going overboard contrary to Colombiam conditions.
But the ferociously anti-US President continued his secret talks with the FARC and now is confident that the rebels would hand over the three Colombian hostages, including a three-year old boy. This would be an utter embarrasment for President Uribe who has uptil now shown mistrust towards the Venezuelan leader for his close contacts with the FARC which has waged a 40-year old revolutionary war against the Colombian government financed by the booming cocaine trade. What is important at the moment is the fact that the release could lead to immense pressure on the Colombian government to enter into constructive negotiations with the FARC for the freedom of the rest of the hostages. The Colombian people, particularly the families of the hostages, would then demand a more diplomatic approach rather than a military towards the rebels. Clearly, the ultra-offensive of the Colombian army backed by American military aid has failed to eradicate the FARC. Rather it has fuelled the war to a new level.
President Chavez is a wily diplomat. According to many analysts, he wants to be popular across the Latin America to spread his revolutionary ideas to combat American influence. Although much of South America is under leftist influence, Washington is very much involved in Colombian politics to tacle leftist guerillas. So, maybe Chavez understands the importance of winning the hearts of the ordinary people and if the hostage release goes unscathed, President Uribe would have a lot to think about before going into the negotiating table with his arch enemy, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia.
Source Link: Foxnews
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