Colombia raid a war crime, says Chavez

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has described a Colombian raid that killed two dozen rebels in Ecuador a "war crime".

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has described a Colombian raid that killed two dozen rebels in Ecuador a "war crime".

Colombia set off a major diplomatic crisis on Saturday when its army crossed into Ecuador to kill Colombian Marxist guerrillas belonging to the Farc just across the border.

In a bid to ease building tensions in the region, the Organization of American States (OAS) approved a resolution earlier yesterday that called the Colombian military raid a violation of Ecuadorean sovereignty.

However, Ecuador President Rafael Correa said the resolution did not go far enough.

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President Hugo Chavez condemned the branded Colombia a
President Hugo Chavez condemned the branded Colombia a

"The OAS resolution pleases us. We are pleased, but not satisfied," Mr Correa said, standing beside Mr Chavez in Caracas. "This isn't going to cool down until the aggressor is condemned."

Mr Chavez called Colombia a "genocidal government," accused Mr Uribe of backing illegal right-wing paramilitary groups, and questioned his sanity.

The watered-down resolution approved by the OAS in Washington declared the attack a violation of Ecuador's sovereignty and called for the OAS Secretary-General Jose Miguel Insulza to lead a delegation to both countries to ease tensions, but stopped short of explicitly condemning the assault.

The United States was the only OAS nation offering Colombia, its closest ally in the region, unqualified support.

Colombia accused both Mr Chavez and Mr Correa of having deepening ties with the leftist rebels, and said that was shown by documents found on a laptop seized at the bombed rebel camp.

Colombian President Alvaro Uribe said he would not mobilise troops or allow his nation to be drawn into war with his neighbours. His decision to attack the rebels reflected his frustration over their ability to find refuge in Venezuela and Ecuador.