US intelligence czar warns about Venezuela
Retired US Admiral Dennis Blair testifies before the Senate Intelligence Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC during his nomination hearing to become the next director of National Intelligence.
Venezuela serves as a bridge for Iran's influence in Latin America and continues to harbor leftist rebels from Colombia, Director of National Intelligence Dennis Blair told the US Senate Thursday.
Blair warned not only about Venezuela, but also its fellow leftist allies Cuba and Bolivia, and about the growing drug problem in Mexico and FARC rebel strength in Colombia, in an annual assessment of global threats to the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence.
A thorn in the US side since President Hugo Chavez first took office 10 years ago, Venezuela took center stage in Blair's assessment of Latin America.
US-Venezuelan relations took a turn for the worse in September when they expelled their respective ambassadors, and following complaints that the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) were provided sanctuary in Venezuela.
"We assess Chavez is likely to maintain his decade-long ties to FARC by providing them safe haven because of his ideological affinity to the group and his interest in influencing Colombian politics," Blair said.
The intelligence czar said the Chavez-FARC links made public after turning up in the computer files of a rebel commander killed by Colombian troops in Ecuador in March, "forced Chavez, at least rhetorically, to improve relations with Bogota."
Blair, who took office two weeks ago, warned that "Venezuela also is serving as a bridge to help Iran build relations with other Latin American countries through its embassies and cultural centers.
Retired US Admiral Dennis Blair testifies before the Senate Intelligence Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC during his nomination hearing to become the next director of National Intelligence.
Venezuela serves as a bridge for Iran's influence in Latin America and continues to harbor leftist rebels from Colombia, Director of National Intelligence Dennis Blair told the US Senate Thursday.
Blair warned not only about Venezuela, but also its fellow leftist allies Cuba and Bolivia, and about the growing drug problem in Mexico and FARC rebel strength in Colombia, in an annual assessment of global threats to the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence.
A thorn in the US side since President Hugo Chavez first took office 10 years ago, Venezuela took center stage in Blair's assessment of Latin America.
US-Venezuelan relations took a turn for the worse in September when they expelled their respective ambassadors, and following complaints that the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) were provided sanctuary in Venezuela.
"We assess Chavez is likely to maintain his decade-long ties to FARC by providing them safe haven because of his ideological affinity to the group and his interest in influencing Colombian politics," Blair said.
The intelligence czar said the Chavez-FARC links made public after turning up in the computer files of a rebel commander killed by Colombian troops in Ecuador in March, "forced Chavez, at least rhetorically, to improve relations with Bogota."
Blair, who took office two weeks ago, warned that "Venezuela also is serving as a bridge to help Iran build relations with other Latin American countries through its embassies and cultural centers.
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