VENEZUELA: Chavez threatens to cut ties with US

Wednesday, June 1, 2005 - 10:00

Stuart Munckton

Speaking on his weekly television chat show on March 22, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said that if Washington refuses to extradite Cuban terrorist Luis Posada Carriles, Venezuela could severe diplomatic ties between the two nations.

Posada, a former CIA agent, is wanted in Venezuela and Cuba for his role in the 1976 bombing of a Cuban airliner that killed 73 civilians, including the entire Cuban national youth fencing team. Posada applied to the US government for asylum in March, and was subsequently arrested by US authorities.

Venezuela, which has an extradition treaty with the US, has demanded that Posada, who has dual Cuban-Venezuelan citizenship, be sent to Venezuela to stand trial for the 1976 bombing.

Chavez also put the option of taking the dispute to an international tribunal on the table. "It is difficult, very difficult, to maintain ties with a government that so shamelessly hides and protects international terrorism", said Chavez.

From Green Left Weekly, June 1, 2005.

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From GLW issue 628