By Prensa Latina
Caracas : Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has said it is for Colombia to take steps for easing the tension in the region triggered by its recent incursion into Ecuadorian territory.
Chavez made the remarks during a luncheon with foreign journalists Tuesday.
He said some elements in the government in Bogota and the media are trying to stir up a war.
He denied that Venezuela was involved in the crisis and insisted that restoration of normalisation in bilateral relations depended on Bogota.
Colombian Army March 1 in a cross border operation raided a hide-out of leftist insurgent group Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) in Ecuadorian jungles, which provoked a huge regional tension with Venezuela and Ecuador mobilising their armies along their borders with Colombia.
At least 23 members of the leftist Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), including the group’s second-in-command Raul Reyes, were killed in the raid.
Besides Venezuela, Ecuador and Nicaragua had also severed ties with Colombia.
The crisis was however defused during a summit meeting at Rio de Jeneiro in Dominical Republic and a resolution condemning the cross border operation was adopted.
Chavez blamed the US for the present crisis.