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Venezuela troops 'move to border' Venezuela troops 'move to border'
(about 1 hour later)
Most of the thousands of troops Venezuela has sent towards the border with Colombia are in place, a senior Venezuelan officer has said. Venezuela says most of thousands of troops Venezuela has sent towards the border with Colombia are in place.
There is no independent confirmation of large-scale troop movements and the US said it has seen no evidence of it.There is no independent confirmation of large-scale troop movements and the US said it has seen no evidence of it.
Venezuela ordered troops to the border with Colombia after a Colombian raid into Ecuador to kill Farc rebels. Venezuela ordered troops to the border with Colombia after a Colombian raid into Ecuador to kill Farc rebels. Ecuador has also mobilised troops.
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said "we want peace" but accused the US and Colombia of wanting war. The Organisation of American States (OAS) agreed Colombia violated Ecuador's sovereignty.
He made the remarks after speaking to French President Nicolas Sarkozy who "called, worried by the situation". But in an emergency session, the OAS stopped short of formally condemning Bogota.
"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. Colombia'a leader says he is not mobilising Colombian troops in response to Venezuela's and Ecuador's deployments.
I insist on this: Ecuador is ready to go to the ultimate consequences Rafael CorreaEcuadorean president Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez accused Colombia and the United States of wanting war.
"It must be said: They, the empire and its lackeys, are war," he said of the US and its ally Colombia. "We want peace," he said after speaking to French President Nicolas Sarkozy.
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. I insist on this: Ecuador is ready to go to the ultimate consequences Rafael CorreaEcuadorean President
Tanks and airplanes have been mobilised in support of the troops, Venezuelan officials have said. "It must be said: They, the empire and its lackeys, are war," he said of the US and its ally Colombia in a televised speech after his telephone conversation with the French president.
Ecuador has also mobilised troops after the cross-border raid on Saturday. Mr Chavez ordered 10 battalions - usually amounting to at least 6,000 troops - to the border on Sunday after Colombian troops killed senior Farc leader Raul Reyes and at least 16 other rebels.
'We were bombed' The move is intended as a deterrent to Colombia, should it consider pursuing guerrillas across the border, says the BBC's James Ingham in Caracas.
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. 'Ultimate consequences'
Both Venezuela and Ecuador have broken off diplomatic ties with Colombia.
Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa said he wanted the international community to condemn Colombia's actions and for Bogota to apologise for the raid.Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa said he wanted the international community to condemn Colombia's actions and for Bogota to apologise for the raid.
"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."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.
"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.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. Latin American governments have criticised Colombia for the raid but have cautioned 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. In his conversation with Mr Chavez, the French president urged "all the countries in the region and all those concerned to show restraint," 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 lowReyes was Farc's first secretariat member to be killed in combat Farc 'invincibility' shatteredBorders: A sensitive issueTies hit all-time low
Mr Sarkozy also said he hoped the process aimed at freeing about 40 high-profile hostages - including French Colombian politician Ingrid Betancourt - would continue.
Farc have released six hostages this year with Venezuelan mediation and turned them over to Mr Chavez, including four Colombians released last week.
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."
'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".
Colombia says documents were found at the camp that link both Ecuador and Venezuela to the Colombian rebel group. It says documents were found that linked 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.
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.