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Venezuela troops 'move to border' Venezuela troops 'move to border'
(about 2 hours later)
Thousands of Venezuelan troops supported by tanks are moving towards the border with Colombia, Venezuela's defence minister has said. Most of the thousands of troops Venezuela has sent towards the border with Colombia are in place, a senior Venezuelan officer has said.
President Hugo Chavez ordered 10 battalions to the border on Sunday after Colombian troops killed a top Farc rebel leader in Ecuador. There is no independent confirmation of large-scale troop movements and the US said it has seen no evidence of it.
Venezuelan Gen Jesus Gonzalez said almost 90% of the troops were in place. There is no independent confirmation. Venezuela ordered troops to the border with Colombia after a Colombian raid into Ecuador to kill Farc rebels.
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said "we want peace" but accused the US and Colombia of wanting war.
He made the remarks after speaking to French President Nicolas Sarkozy who "called, worried by the situation".
"I was telling him that were are a peaceful people and nation, we want peace, and nothing nor anyone will push us off the path of true peace," Mr Chavez said in a televised speech after his telephone conversation with the French president.
I insist on this: Ecuador is ready to go to the ultimate consequences Rafael CorreaEcuadorean president
"It must be said: They, the empire and its lackeys, are war," he said of the US and its ally Colombia.
Mr Chavez ordered 10 battalions - usually amounting to at least 6,000 troops - to the border on Sunday after Colombian troops killed a top Farc rebel leader in Ecuador.
Tanks and airplanes have been mobilised in support of the troops, Venezuelan officials have said.
Ecuador has also mobilised troops after the cross-border raid on Saturday.Ecuador has also mobilised troops after the cross-border raid on Saturday.
Venezuelan Defence Minister Gustavo Rangel said the armed forces were "ready to defend the sacred sovereignty of the homeland".
'We were bombed''We were bombed'
The cross-border raid into Ecuadorian territory by Colombian forces to kill a leftist rebel leader from the Farc (the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia) has sparked a growing row. Both Venezuela and Ecuador have also broken off diplomatic ties with Colombia after senior Farc leader Raul Reyes and at least 16 other rebels were killed.
I insist on this: Ecuador is ready to go to the ultimate consequences Rafael CorreaEcuadorean president Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa said he wanted the international community to condemn Colombia's actions and for Bogota to apologise for the raid.
Both Venezuela and Ecuador have broken off diplomatic ties with Bogota. "Otherwise we will have to defend ourselves by our own means. I insist on this: Ecuador is ready to go to the ultimate consequences," he said in Brasilia before meeting Brazil's President Luis Inacio Lula da Silva.
Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa said he wants the international community to condemn Colombia's actions and for Bogota to apologise for the raid.
"There has been an aggression. The aggressor has to apologise and the international community has to condemn it," he said in Brasilia before meeting Brazil's President Luis Inacio Lula da Silva.
"Otherwise we will have to defend ourselves by our own means. I insist on this: Ecuador is ready to go to the ultimate consequences.
"Nobody wants war. But we won't fool ourselves. The war was started by Colombia. We were bombed.""Nobody wants war. But we won't fool ourselves. The war was started by Colombia. We were bombed."
Mr Correa has been visiting Latin American capitals to bolster support for his position.Latin American governments have criticised Colombia for the raid but have urged the three countries not to escalate the crisis. Mr Correa has been visiting Latin American capitals to bolster support for his position.
Latin American governments have criticised Colombia for the raid but have urged the three countries not to escalate the crisis.
In his conversation with Mr Chavez, the French president urged "all the countries in the region and all those concerned to show restraint and responsibility in order to return to the path of dialogue and cooperation," a spokesman for Mr Sarkozy said.
Reyes was Farc's first secretariat member to be killed in combat Farc 'invincibility' shatteredBorders: A sensitive issueTies hit all-time low
On Wednesday, Washington said it was confident the crisis would be resolved peacefully and played down reports of troops movements.On Wednesday, Washington said it was confident the crisis would be resolved peacefully and played down reports of troops movements.
"We do not have independent confirmation of that claim of troop movements down in that area," said White House spokeswoman Dana Perino."We do not have independent confirmation of that claim of troop movements down in that area," said White House spokeswoman Dana Perino.
She urged Colombia and Ecuador to reach a peaceful settlement of their dispute without any input from Venezuela.She urged Colombia and Ecuador to reach a peaceful settlement of their dispute without any input from Venezuela.
"We do think it's curious that a country such as Venezuela would be raising a spectre of military action against a country who was defending itself against terrorism. That says a lot about Venezuela.""We do think it's curious that a country such as Venezuela would be raising a spectre of military action against a country who was defending itself against terrorism. That says a lot about Venezuela."
'Farc link''Farc link'
Colombia has said it regrets conducting the cross-border raid but that it was necessary "in the fight against terrorism", Foreign Minister Fernando Araujo said on Monday.Colombia has said it regrets conducting the cross-border raid but that it was necessary "in the fight against terrorism", Foreign Minister Fernando Araujo said on Monday.
Colombian forces struck against a Farc jungle camp a few kilometres inside Ecuador early on Saturday morning.
Reyes was Farc's first secretariat member to be killed in combat Farc 'invincibility' shatteredBorders: A sensitive issueTies hit all-time low
One of the Farc's most senior commanders, Raul Reyes, was killed along with 16 other rebels.
Colombia says documents were found at the camp that link both Ecuador and Venezuela to the Colombian rebel group.Colombia says documents were found at the camp that link both Ecuador and Venezuela to the Colombian rebel group.
Colombian President Alvaro Uribe said he would not allow his country to be drawn into open war with his neighbours but that his military would target the Farc "wherever they are".Colombian President Alvaro Uribe said he would not allow his country to be drawn into open war with his neighbours but that his military would target the Farc "wherever they are".
He said he was not mobilising Colombian troops in response to Venezuela's and Ecuador's deployments.He said he was not mobilising Colombian troops in response to Venezuela's and Ecuador's deployments.
Colombia receives billions of dollars in aid from the US to fight the Farc, which the US and the EU view as a terrorist organisation.Colombia receives billions of dollars in aid from the US to fight the Farc, which the US and the EU view as a terrorist organisation.