Some people consider it a victory in the fight against terrorism. To others its a violation of national sovereignty. When Colombian troops carried out raids just inside the border with Ecuador, 16 fighters with the Colombian guerilla army FARC were killed. Among them was FARC's second most senior leader, Raul Reyes. But neighbouring Ecuador and Venezuela were outraged at the incursion. Both countries have since deployed troops to the Colombian borders. It seems Colombia's civil war is threatening to spill over its borders.
The situation is complex, involving old hostilities and fragile relationsships. It is true that the Farc leftist rebels are slowly withdrawing from the jungle and moving onto foreign turf. But many view Colombia's military attack as a similar encroachment of foreign territory.
But there's a lot more to this conflict than meets the eye. It's also a question of power politics. On the Colombian side there's conservative President Álvaro Uribe. He has closer ties to the USA than any other leader in the region, and receives large-scale military support from Washington.
Although Correa and Chavez deny the charges, Colombia has accused them of having ties to FARC rebels, which is internationally recognised as a terrorist organisation. The military wing of the Colombian Communist Party has been carrying out terrorist attacks in Colombia for more than 40 years, and been taking hostages on an almost daily basis. Among those currently held in captivity is the former Presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt.
Is Latin America on the brink of war? And will Mexico, Argentina and Brazil be able to keep the peace in such times of high tension?
What do you think? Rattling Sabres in the Rainforest: Is Latin America Facing a War?
http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,2144,2983699,00.html
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