Robert Villa
Monday, June 25, 2001

The streets of Caracas have become a boiler of emotion, as supporters of the leftist Venezuelan president burn U.S. flags and his opponents burn Cuban flags.

Chavez, after being elected, has taken steps to undermine democracy, including abolishing the country's parliament and independent judiciary. He has also re-aligned Venezuela with an anti-American coalition that includes Russia, China and Cuba.

Opponents of the Venezuelan strongman, again elected to an extended 8 year term last year, are concerned with the President's strident remarks of admiration for Cuban dictator Fidel Castro.

Chavez recently "I am the second Fidel," but also with his current policies in the areas of education, medicine and even athletics.

Chávez has imported thousands of Cuban doctors, education administrators and athletic trainers to revamp the Venezuelan government's public services.

Venezuela's federations of doctors and athletic trainers have both protested that Cubans are being given jobs while Venezuelan unemployment rates remain high.

Assemblywoman Liliana Hernández has even accused the President of importing Cuban secret police to run the Venezuelan DISIP, or Political Police.

Outspoken Venezuelan Minister of Defense Jose Vicente Rangel has responded that such statements mark a "Bay of Pigs mentality" on the part of the President's opposition, and has praised the Bush administration for ignoring the Venezuelan opposition's pleas for help.

The Colombian government has, like the US government, attempted to stay neutral on the political situation in Venezuela, because like the US it has vital commercial interests in the country.

Venezuela is the largest exporter of oil to the U.S. in the Western hemisphere.

This weekend's commercial negotiations take place following President Chávez's expressed interest in joining Mercosur, which caused serious alarm among members of the Comunidad Andina, a separate trade organization including Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru.

Mercosur, including the large Southern Cone countries, has attempted to strengthen relations with Europe as opposed to the US, under the leadership of Brazilian and Argentine governments.

The Colombian government has also been concerned with Chávez's persistent involvement in the ongoing peace process with the guerrillas.

Venezuela ignored the Colombian government's requests that they stay away from the process, and were only finally satisfied with membership in a 10 nation committee that supports the peace process.

Chávez also appears to be ignoring the Colombian government's repeated requests for the extradition of Ejercito de Liberacion (ELN) guerrilla José María Ballestas to Colombia for trial.

The government appears to be preparing for its own trial. The ELN was long supported by the Cuban government of Fidel Castro.