2010 Colombia–Venezuela diplomatic crisis
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The 2010 Colombia–Venezuela diplomatic crisis was a diplomatic stand-off between Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
and Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
over allegations in July by Colombian President Álvaro Uribe
Álvaro Uribe
Alvaro Uribe Vélez was the 58th President of Colombia, from 2002 to 2010. In August 2010 he was appointed Vice-chairman of the UN panel investigating the Gaza flotilla raid....
that the Venezuelan government was actively permitting the FARC and ELN
National Liberation Army (Colombia)
National Liberation Army is a revolutionary, avowed Marxist guerrilla group that has been operating in several regions of Colombia since 1964....
guerrillas to seek safe haven in its territory. Uribe presented evidence to the Organization of American States
Organization of American States
The Organization of American States is a regional international organization, headquartered in Washington, D.C., United States...
(OAS) allegedly drawn from laptops acquired in a raid on a FARC camp in Ecuador
Ecuador
Ecuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
(sparking the 2008 Andean diplomatic crisis
2008 Andean diplomatic crisis
The 2008 Andean diplomatic crisis was a diplomatic stand-off between the South American countries of Ecuador, Colombia and Venezuela. It began with an incursion into Ecuadorian territory across the Putumayo River by the Colombian military on March 1, 2008, leading to the deaths of over twenty...
).
In response to the allegations Venezuela broke off diplomatic relations, amid speculation of a possible war. The crisis was resolved after Juan Manuel Santos
Juan Manuel Santos
Juan Manuel Santos Calderón is a Colombian politician who has been the President of Colombia since 7 August 2010. He previously served as Minister of Foreign Trade, Minister of Finance, and Minister of National Defense.-Career:...
was inaugurated as the new President of Colombia on 2010, after the intervention of UNASUR who brought together Santos and Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez
Hugo Chávez
Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías is the 56th and current President of Venezuela, having held that position since 1999. He was formerly the leader of the Fifth Republic Movement political party from its foundation in 1997 until 2007, when he became the leader of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela...
. Chávez then told the guerrillas that there could be no military solution to the internal Colombia conflict, and Santos agreed to turn over the disputed laptops to the Ecuadorean government. Both countries then agreed to re-establish diplomatic relations.
Increase in tensions
In reaction to Colombian allegations that there was evidence showing FARC and ELNNational Liberation Army (Colombia)
National Liberation Army is a revolutionary, avowed Marxist guerrilla group that has been operating in several regions of Colombia since 1964....
guerrilla camps established on the Venezuelan side of the border, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Nicolás Maduro
Nicolás Maduro
Nicolás Maduro Moros is a Venezuelan politician who was appointed foreign minister by President Hugo Chávez on 9 August 2006.- Biography :...
recalled his country's ambassador to Colombia for "discussions." Colombia then took their complaint to the OAS
Organization of American States
The Organization of American States is a regional international organization, headquartered in Washington, D.C., United States...
which planned to hold a special meeting on to hear the complaint that Venezuela tolerates Colombian rebel camps on its territory. On the Colombian foreign ministry said its ambassador, María Luisa Chiappe
María Luisa Chiappe
María Luisa Chiappe Pulido is a Colombian economist and businesswoman. She served as Ambassador of Colombia to Venezuela from 2009 to 2010 during the Colombia–Venezuela diplomatic crisis that led to both countries recalling their respective ambassadors and signalled a weakening of diplomatic...
, would be recalled "to evaluate the situation", following which they would present evidence at the OAS' emergency meeting.
On 16 July, as a press briefing at the US State Department
United States Department of State
The United States Department of State , is the United States federal executive department responsible for international relations of the United States, equivalent to the foreign ministries of other countries...
, a spokesman said "some of this is not new in the sense that there have been concerns for some time of cross-border interaction involvement in insurgent activities or terrorist activities within Colombia. Venezuela is obliged, as a member of the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
, the OAS, and UNASUR, to deny terrorist groups the ability to operate within its territory. We've been concerned about this for some time and it's one of the reasons why, since 2006, Venezuela has been judged not to be fully cooperating on anti-terrorism efforts."
On 22 July, Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez announced that "for dignity's sake" he was breaking off relations with Colombia as a response to Colombia's accusations. Bolivia
Bolivia
Bolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
n President Evo Morales
Evo Morales
Juan Evo Morales Ayma , popularly known as Evo , is a Bolivian politician and activist, currently serving as the 80th President of Bolivia, a position that he has held since 2006. He is also the leader of both the Movement for Socialism party and the cocalero trade union...
called for an emergency meeting of UNASUR to calm tensions in the region. "I want to ask the head of UNASUR, Ecuadorean President Correa
Rafael Correa
Rafael Vicente Correa Delgado born is the President of the Republic of Ecuador and was the president pro tempore of the Union of South American Nations. An economist educated in Ecuador, Belgium and the United States, he was elected President in late 2006 and took office in January 2007...
, to call an emergency meeting of the 12 presidents of UNASUR so we can resolve these problems between Colombia and Venezuela. A war is in the making and Bolivia, along with the presidents of the UNASUR, should not allow that war to happen between brother countries."
A few days later Chávez threatened to cut off oil exports to the United States if Colombia launched a military attack. "If there was any armed aggression against Venezuela from Colombian territory or from anywhere else, promoted by the Yankee empire, we would suspend oil shipments to the United States even if we have to eat stones here." He also cancelled a trip to Cuba on the grounds that "the possibility of an armed aggression against Venezuelan territory from Colombia" was higher than it has been "in 100 years." Venezuela followed this by bolstering its troop presence along the border with Colombia. Franklin Márquez, a regional commander for the Venezuelan National Guard, said "We have a reinforcement of 980 to 1,000 troops for the protection of the border, but there are no unusual operations; we are staying on alert." This was followed by a denial from Colombian President Uribe that plans were underway to attack Venezuela amid Chávez's call that Uribe was "capable of anything." Uribe's spokesman, César Velásquez, said "Colombia has never thought of attacking [Venezuela], as its president has told his country in a clearly deceptive move. [Colombia] continues to insist [on the application of international law to ensure Venezuela] complies with its obligation not to harbour Colombian terrorists."
Reconciliation
On August 10, just days after Colombia's new president, Juan Manuel SantosJuan Manuel Santos
Juan Manuel Santos Calderón is a Colombian politician who has been the President of Colombia since 7 August 2010. He previously served as Minister of Foreign Trade, Minister of Finance, and Minister of National Defense.-Career:...
, was sworn in at a ceremony attended by Venezuela's Maduro, both he and Chavez agreed to restore bilateral relations and re-establish diplomatic ties "based on transparent and direct dialogue." Santos said he received assurances from Chavez that he would not allow guerrilla groups to set up camp inside Venezuela. The two also expressed optimism that their first meeting would produce positive results. in Santa Marta, Colombia,. This was a result of mediation by UNASUR Secretary General Néstor Kirchner
Néstor Kirchner
Néstor Carlos Kirchner was an Argentine politician who served as the 54th President of Argentina from 25 May 2003 until 10 December 2007. Previously, he was Governor of Santa Cruz Province since 10 December 1991. He briefly served as Secretary General of the Union of South American Nations ...
who said "We Latin Americans have proved we can solve our own problems."
The agreement between the two presidents included the setting up of bilateral commissions related to commercial, economic, social investment, infrastructure and security issues. The agreement stated the objective of enduring stable bilateral relations through adherence to international law, the principles of noninterference in internal affairs, and respect for national sovereignty and territorial integrity. Venezuela admitted that Colombia has a legal right to sign military agreements with the United States, "as long as none of those accords affects the sovereignty of neighbours or becomes a threat."
Santos was upbeat regarding the meeting. "President Chávez and I are putting the interests of our people above personal conveniences.". In turn Chavez told Santos, "Count on my friendship." The two presidents pledged to send ambassadors to each others' capital cities, and work on further details involving finance and military issues. he said he received assurances from Chávez that he would not allow guerrilla groups to set up camp inside Venezuela. The two also expressed optimism that their first meeting would produce positive results. A large factor in the reconciliation was collapsing trade between the neighbouring countries' economies. The New York Times also cited a former U.S. ambassador to Colombia saying that both men were likely to be in power in their nations for much of the coming decade, "so it would be in both of their interests to learn to get along."