War mongering, democrats pal Chavez, trying to start war

Venezuela closes border with Colombia


VENEZUELA has closed its border with Colombia as part of a rapidly 
escalating crisis over the killing of a Colombian rebel chief, authorities

in Caracas said according to Colombian television Caracol.

"We have taken some measures, like the closing of the border," said 
Venezuelan Agriculture Minister Elias Jaua according to the Bogota based 
station.

The decision will affect the three land crossings in the Colombian 
departments of La Guajira, Norte de Santander and Arauca.

The move comes amid frantic diplomatic maneuvering to quell a rapidly 
spiraling crisis that threatens to engulf much of South America, after 
Colombia's weekend cross-border raid on a rebel camp in Ecuador which
killed 
the leader of a Colombia rebel group.

Ecuador severed diplomatic ties with Colombia and Venezuela expelled all 
Colombian diplomats, prompting the 34-member Organization of American
States 
to plan an emergency meeting in hopes of resolving the escalating
tensions.