EU-DIGEST

Venezuela's Sukkhoi fightr jets

For the complete report from The Seattle Times click on this link

War in Latin America ? Venezuela, Ecuador sending troops to border with Colombia after rebel leader killed - by IAN James

President Hugo Chavez ordered tanks and thousands of troops on Sunday to the border with Colombia, accusing it of pushing South America to the brink of war by killing a top rebel leader on Ecuadorean soil. Denouncing Colombia's slaying of the rebel commander in a cross-border raid into Ecuador, Chavez said Venezuela will respond militarily if Colombia violates its border. He ordered Venezuela's embassy in Bogota closed. "Mr. Defence Minister, move 10 battalions to the border with Colombia for me, immediately -- tank battalions. Deploy the air force," Chavez said during his weekly TV and radio program. "We don't want war, but we aren't going to permit the U.S. empire, which is the master (of Colombia) ... to come divide us." In protest, Ecuador withdrew its ambassador from Bogota, ordered Colombia's top diplomat expelled and ordered the mobilization of troops to the border with Colombia.

"This could be the start of a war in South America," Chavez said. He warned Uribe: "If it occurs to you to do this in Venezuela, President Uribe, I'll send some Sukhois" -- Russian warplanes recently bought by Venezuela.

Labels: Colombia, Ecuador, Latin America, US, Venezuela, War

Ecuador poll backs the Chavez route to reform - Rory Caroll

Voters in Ecuador appear to have backed an attempt to redesign the country along socialist lines, giving fresh impetus to the surge of Latin America's "pink tide". Exit polls showed President Rafael Correa's coalition heading for a majority in an assembly which is to write a new constitution. If confirmed, it would bolster his leftwing agenda and give Washington another Latin American headache. Several projections predicted that Mr Correa's National Alliance slate would win more than 70 of the 130 seats, putting his supporters in the driving seat of a plan to transform one of the region's most politically volatile countries.

The charismatic economist turned president is a scathing critic of the Bush administration and an admirer of Venezuela's outspoken socialist leader, Hugo Chavez. He has promised not to renew the lease on a small US military base.

Labels: Ecuador, Politics