Venezuela: Chavez says Colombia's incursion into Ecuador has pushed South America to the brink of war

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has ordered troops to his country's border with Colombia after the Colombian military entered Ecuador to attack FARC rebels.

Mr. Chavez said Sunday Colombia's incursion into Ecuador has pushed South America to the brink of war. Mr. Chavez ordered the closing of Venezuela's embassy in Bogota and the withdrawal of all its personnel.

Ecuador recalled its ambassador from Bogota, leaving its trade representative in charge of the embassy.

Colombia said it was acting in its own defense Saturday when it attacked a jungle camp in Ecuador and killed Raul Reyes, a spokesman and leader of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC.

Colombia's Defense Minister Juan Manuel Santos told reporters Saturday that the air force bombed a FARC camp just inside Ecuador and then sent in ground troops. He said 17 rebels and one soldier were killed during the operation.

The death of the 59-year-old Reyes is seen as a victory for Colombia's President Alvaro Uribe, who has been under increasing international pressure to ease Colombia's long-running conflict with the FARC.

The Colombian government has been negotiating the swap of jailed rebels for FARC-held hostages. Four hostages were released to Venezuelan authorities on Wednesday.

The leftist rebel group is believed to be holding about 750 hostages in jungle hideouts.

Published with the permission of Voice of America