COLOMBIA: The Little Cold War

Abstract: 

Award-winning Colombian journalist Daniel Coronell explores the escalating tensions between Venezuela’s Hugo Chávez and Colombia’s Álvaro Uribe.

An attempt by the Venezuelan president to end the long captivity of 54 hostages held by Colombian guerillas has devolved into the most serious crisis in relations between the two countries in their history. And all because the proof of life didn’t arrive on time. The story began on August 15, 2007. That day, Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez received permission from his Colombian counterpart, Álvaro Uribe, to attempt to negotiate an exchange of prisoners between the government of Colombia and the communist guerrilla fighters of the FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia).

Author: 
Daniel Coronell
Publication date: 
August 21, 2007
Publication type: 
Berkeley Review of Latin American Studies Article