President Nicolas Maduro demanded the Colombian Government on Thursday to respect Venezuela’s domestic affairs.
“We are respecting all countries of the world, all governments, for that reason this Santa Marta agreement has been violated. You (Colombia’s Juan Manuel Santos) do not meddle in my country, I do not meddle in yours. Just like that. You respect my country’s politics and I respect your country’s,” stressed the Venezuelan President referring to a meeting held Wednesday in Bogota between Colombian president Juan Manuel Santos and former presidential candidate Henrique Capriles.
Leading a meeting of his Government of the Street, in central state of Carabobo, president Maduro said: “Here are Bolivarian people. Do not forget we are the children of (Simon) Bolivar, of (Hugo) Chavez. Do not meddle with us. Respect so you may be respected.”
Concerning the Santa Marta agreement, Maduro referred to a series of rules established between former president Hugo Chavez and his Colombian counterpart Juan Manuel Santos in a meeting on 10 August 2010. Maduro said those rules had been respected by the two parties, detailing that one of them was not meddling in domestic affairs of any of the two nations. “A basic rule of the game for coexistence and respect.”
“I regret that President Santos has broken the rules established in Santa Marta. I deeply regret that Colombia’s oligarchy and Colombia’s power has drawn together right now with a view not to acknowledge Venezuela’s legitimate government and overthrow the revolutionary government I represent,” Maduro said.
The Venezuelan President said he has received information about meetings in Bogota between political advisor J.J. Rendon after Capriles’ visit. “They have submitted a plan together with Alvaro Uribe Velez and described as perfect the plan to overthrow me and spread Venezuela with violence.”
“I may not silence information which deals with peace in our homeland. There is an evil person: his name is J.J. Rendon, president Santos’ advisor. Foreign minister (Maria Angela) Holguin defended that person,” commented the Venezuelan President.
By that time, Rendon “had not ongoing issues with Venezuela’s justice and we handed over his passport and regularized his situation,” Maduro said to Holguin, adding that Rendon “now has interfered with the homeland’s peace.”
“Alert people, alert Venezuelan State before the open treason of fascist Right against the Venezuelan homeland,” he warned.
Assessing bilateral relationship
Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro said that as the above mentioned actions are not rectified, bilateral relations with the current Colombian Government will be analyzed.
Also on Wednesday, Venezuelan foreign minister Elias Jaua called for the return of ambassador Roy Chaderton, Venezuela’s commissioner in peace talks carried out by Colombia. Venezuela’s participation in this process will be assessed.
In this connection, President Maduro recalled Venezuela’s participation in Colombian peace talks at request of the Colombian Government.
“I witnessed how commander Chavez supported with disinterest Colombia’s peace. I’ve witnessed that since the times of former president Uribe, when in August 2007 he asked Chavez to meet FARC guerrilla leaders in Venezuela, and so he did in October 2007,” said Maduro.
Additionally, he said: “I have notes. I have evidence of how president Uribe prayed commander Chavez to meet the guerrilla, who humbly, honestly and transparently talked with them to free some hostages they had.”
As a matter of fact, Maduro said that Uribe had even proposed Chavez to go to Colombia to meet FARCT commander Manuel Marulanda. Uribe asked him to propose the signing of a peace accord, but “many comrades warned him that it would be Uribe’s trap to kill him in Colombia. Then Uribe kicked up all efforts made to release those hostages.”
“I doubt whether to continue or not in that peace process,” stated Maduro, adding that “amidst the election campaign, I received envoys from president Santos and, authorized by him, I made arrangements with Colombia’s guerrilla, consuming time from time, hours and hours of work, to help Colombia,” Maduro stressed.
“Now they pay like that! Treason?,” wondered the Venezuelan President, commenting as well that he has lost confidence on president Santos.
Nicolas Maduro said that he doubts “of Santos’ sincerity when Venezuela is stabbed from behind and he lends himself to wash the face of a conspiracy against Venezuela.”
“We love Colombia and Venezuela’s oligarchy and rightists hate Colombia. And when president Santos washes their face in meetings of plot and has information of everything done against Venezuela to sabotage its economy, murder Venezuelan soldiers, bring hired killers here, then we say, what are they playing at?,” added Maduro.
