URGENT
Chavez, Correa call for condemnation of Colombia’s cross-border raid
Eds: UPDATES with more Chavez comments.
CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez on Wednesday called a Colombian raid that killed two dozen rebels in Ecuador a "war crime," and joined Ecuador’s president in demanding international condemnation of the cross-border attack.
"We demand condemnation of the Colombian government for this aberrant act," Chavez said, standing beside Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa.
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Correa said he welcomed a resolution approved by the Organization of American States that concluded the attack violated Ecuador’s sovereignty, but added he is looking for an explicit condemnation of the Colombian strike.
"We are using all the peaceful and diplomatic channels available for the international community to condemn the aggressor," Correa said.
The two made the demand amid a series of accusations and insults against Colombia’s U.S.-allied government. Chavez called Colombia a "genocidal government," accused President Alvaro Uribe of backing illegal right-wing paramilitary groups and questioned the Colombian leader’s sanity.
Chavez laughed as he dismissed accusations by Uribe’s government that Venezuela had sent financial support to Colombia’s rebels.
And as for some $6 billion in annual trade between Venezuela and Colombia, Chavez predicted "that’s coming down."
"We aren’t interested in Colombian investments here," Chavez said. Noting that Colombia traditional supplies food to Venezuela, he said that now "we can’t depend (on Colombia) not even for a grain of rice."
