Chavez backs off—a triumph of intell?

ARTICLE: “Venezuela’s Chavez Urges End to Colombia Insurgency: In Sharp Reversal, Guerrillas Are Asked To Release Hostages,” by Jose De Cordoba, Wall Street Journal, 9 June 2008, p. A6.

It is an interesting story: FARC’s number 2 guy is killed in March and that yields a treasure trove of computer files linking Chavez to FARC.

Not too much later Chavez has his reversal.

Comments

[Darryl Rosin]

I can't read the WSJ article so perhaps I am misunderstanding. This is a big move forward but it isn't a reversal by Chavez. I'm no Chavez fan, but he's achieved some pretty impressive political victories and every once in awhile he makes a good move. He's been negotiating with FARC since at least 2007 and has tried to bring them into the political mainstream ('cause after 40 years they're not just going away). If he can pull this off (a big if), it's a great result and Chavez should get credit and thanks, not accusations of colluding with terrorists.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/2/story.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=10486392http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/jun/09/colombia.venezuela?gusrc=rss&feed=worldnews