Al-Ahram approves of FARC and Chavez

According to Wikipedia Al-Ahram's "content is controlled by the Egyptian Ministry of Information." I guess this illustrates that whatever the US is buying with all the aid that goes to Egypt, it isn't friendship:

[...] This may turn out to be the high point in Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez's Latin American policy. The last thing Colombian President Alvaro Uribe would have wanted was to solicit the support of the Venezuelan leader. Ironically, the task of negotiating the release of Colombian hostages fell to President Chavez . . .

The US has had a despicable history in the region which many Latin Americans still cannot forgive. And, Uribe is widely viewed as an American stooge . . .

FARC is not on the wrong side of history. They have solid support in their native Colombia. That is an improvement on the recent past, but it is hardly an overwhelming triumph.

Chavez could tip the balance towards war or peace. A large number of Latin American leaders disagree with Chavez about almost everything. But he has staunch supporters and a popular appeal which is not restricted to his native Venezuela. Chavez's Venezuela is a bit player, but a crafty one.

The hostage-taking dilemma has confounded the Colombian political establishment. It was a necessary climb down for Uribe, but a boost for Chavez. Uribe is no Chavez, with a knowledge of radical Latin American politics that even his admirers admit is patchy.

In this episode, Chavez felt strong enough to distance himself from FARC's militancy. The Venezuelan leader is a populist leader who can stand on his own achievements.

All told, the armed opposition groups occupy an indispensable space in Colombian politics. Some estimates suggest they control a third of the country. Their popular appeal with the poor means they will not disappear. This makes Chavez their natural ally despite ideological differences.

And, despite Chavez's 2 December setback on the domestic front, his diplomatic triumph demonstrates that his Bolivarian revolution is still on track.

Tags: Egypt, Chavez, FARC, Colombia, Venezuela, Uribe