George Bush ha accusato il presidente venezuelano “dell'elogio dei terroristi„ e dello sperpero della ricchezza dell'olio del suo paese per rifornire una campagna di combustibile contro gli Stati Uniti.

Il presidente degli Stati Uniti ha criticato la reazione del Hugo Chavez ad un'incursione colombiana recente su una base ribelle di Farc nell'Ecuador che ha scintillato una crisi diplomatica settimana-lunga in america latina.

“Il presidente del Venezuela ha elogiato il capo del terrorista come un buon rivoluzionario ed ordinato le sue truppe al bordo colombiano,„ Bush ha detto.

Il capo degli Stati Uniti ha detto che il movimento era “l'ultimo punto in un modello preoccupante di comportamento provocatorio dal regime a Caracas„.

Bush inoltre ha riaffermato il suo sostegno il Alavaro Uribe, il presidente colombiano ed ha avvertito che la regione stava affrontando una scelta sopra il relativo futuro.

“The region is facing an increasingly stark choice: to quietly accept the vision of the terrorists and the demagogues, or to actively support democratic leaders like President Uribe.

“I’ve made my choice. I’m standing with courageous leadership that believes in freedom and peace.”

‘Empty promises’

Bush’s sharp criticism of Chavez came as the White House tried to portray the passage of a US-Colombia free trade agreement as critical to stem Chavez’s influence across Latin America.

Wednesday’s speech was made at the US Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

“As it tries to expand its influence in Latin America, the regime claims to promote social justice.

“In truth its agenda amounts to little more than empty promises and a thirst for power,” Bush said.

“It has squandered its oil wealth in an effort to promote its hostile anti-American vision; it has left its own citizens to face food shortages while it threatens its neighbours,” he added.

Colombian apology

Bush spoke just days after Latin American leaders agreed an end to a week-long crisis sparked by the cross-border raid inside Ecuador that killed a Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc) commander.

Ecuador also sent troops to the Colombian border and cut diplomatic ties with Bogota over the incident.

Colombia apologised and promised never to carry out such a raid again.

The recent crisis reflected a sharp political divide in South America, where Uribe, who has strong US backing, is opposed by Chavez and his allies who fiercely reject what they call US “imperialism”.

Chavez, who has called for a socialist revolution in Latin America to counter US influence, regularly criticises Bush and once called him the “devil” in a speech to the UN General Assembly.

Agencies

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