Recently, we were taken aback by the revelations regarding the connections between FARC narco-terrorists and the regime of Hugo Chavez, presented by Colombia’s representative during an extraordinary OAS session. Among those observing from the sidelines, there were various opinions: some condemned Uribe for making such information public, while others labeled him a hypocrite for not doing so sooner.
The recent meeting between Presidents Santos and Chavez in Santa Marta, along with subsequent statements and agreements, leads to the conclusion that Colombian-Venezuelan relations will continue shrouded in absolute hypocrisy from both sides. On the Venezuelan front, we witness how Hugo Chavez shifts from a war rhetoric to a conciliatory tone within a week. The Colombian government, on its part, goes from extreme outrage over the presence of FARC in Venezuelan territory, as demonstrated by its ambassador to the OAS demanding the formation of an international verification commission, to the words of the new Foreign Minister Maria Angela Holguin, who has just stated, without accountability, that her government does not expect any kind of international verification regarding the claims made by Uribe’s administration.
The crux of the matter remains bilateral trade. The pro or anti FARC discourse is merely a card that both governments play to advance their interests. In the meantime, the thousands of Colombians and Venezuelans on both sides of the border, suffering the consequences of such irresponsible policies, remain at the mercy of narco-terrorism. It seems that the very existence of FARC, along with their freedom to continue drug trafficking in the region and all the problems this generates, comes at an agreed cost for Colombia and Venezuela: $7 billion in bilateral trade. In other words, the governments of the Uribe/Santos duo and Chavez appear willing to turn a blind eye to the displaced individuals, the lives lost, the suffering, and the thousands of affected families, as long as bilateral trade remains at a level of $7 billion. When that figure declines, we see a breakdown in relations, threats of war, lawsuits in international courts, and theatrical displays in multilateral organizations. Once the promise to restore it is made, we notice how, in just a few hours, everyone forgets about the FARC issue.
Chavez continues to attack Colombian democracy, undermining the very existence of that country’s institutions. And the Colombian government allows it, for $7 billion. Can anyone seriously take Chavez’s calls for FARC to abandon armed struggle when he hasn’t even ordered an investigation into their presence in Venezuela? If Chavez’s intentions were sincere, we would have seen Ivan Marquez and Piedad Cordoba back in Miraflores. As for Colombia’s desire? That is quite clear: for its business sector to continue benefiting from Chavez’s ineptitude. As Chavez himself would say: “while governments go from summit to summit, people fall from abyss to abyss.”