Two for the good guys.

There is a of lot bad happening out there. Yeah, I'll write about that too. Just not today. Today, we get two in the win column for the good guys:

On 2.November, Viktor Bout was convicted. Took the best part of three years to land the fish, and there are appeals to be made, but the case held together. Unanimous jury to convict.

Today, word came out of the killing of "Alfonso Cano" (Guillermo Leon Saenz), the leader of the FARC since 2008. Colombian Armed Forces bombed his base and then sent in the airmobile teams and finished him and his escort in a firefight. Good riddance and haste to dismantling as much of the FARC as possible.

Job well done in both.

Sunday Evening Push

OK... who put Monday directly after Wednesday last week...?

((grin))

It has been one of those weekends that looks a whole lot like the work week here. Hope yours went better.

Here's your Open thread for Sunday, just in case you've something to say about it. ...Or about all the other things happening out there in the wide world.

Use this wisely, folks. The usual rules apply: play nice.

As always, thank you All for coming here.

***

Here are some brief links of things passed over the last couple of days:

Switzerland continues to show remarkable good sense on matters of a free people maintaining arms.

A series of rounds of hostage releases in Colombia has freed four of the many, many hostages of the FARC. I'd like to say it is the beginning of freedom for all the kidnapped... but it likely is not. A one-off or just a step forward.

Meanwhile, fan favorite Hugo Chavez continues to make a mockery of himself. Just for reference sake... Chavez couldn't carry Hosni Mubarak's briefcase. Sure would be nice if the people of Venezuela were a little more motivated to show him the door after seeing how things went in Egypt, though.

Ayman Nour of Egypt's al-Glad (Tomorrow Party) should have more sense than to be saying things like this, especially in the media. Unless, of course, he is proposing returning Sinai to Israel... (Boy, that wouldn't make it a minute in the court of public opinion, but again, it sure would be nice.)

More Threats? More Threats.

Hugo A-go-go Chavez, the President of Venezuela, apparently isn't satisfied with the reaction to his declaration of Communist affiliation at the COP15 meeting... but given how bad (and long) his speech there was, perhaps the world can be forgiven for having nodded off before he got to that part...

Anyway... if no one is noticing him, goes the rational, it must be time for more threats:

It is not uncommon for Chavez to accuse other nations, especially the U.S. and its allies, of conspiring against Venezuela.

First he threatened the Kingdom of the Netherlands over anti-drug operations flying out of the Netherlands Antilles, then it was more frothing against Colombia (various claims), and now he's hauled out the "Yankee Spy Planes" claim:

Speaking during his weekly television and radio program, Chavez said the aircraft overflew a Venezuelan military base in the western state of Zulia after taking off from neighboring Colombia. He did not elaborate, but suggested the plane was being used for espionage.

"These are the Yankees. They are entering Venezuela," he said.

"I've ordered them to be shot down," Chavez said of the aircraft. "We cannot permit this."

I guess it is good to have hobbies.

((sheesh))

I'd say something like "Bring it, little man", but the fact is that dictatorial madmen like Chavez get a lot of people killed when they actually get the nerve up to try something. This kind of lunacy simply must be ended.

Hugo over-reaches

President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela is trying to get people to look anywhere else than at the massive economic and utility failures that are defining his administration of the country, and his latest ploy is to once again go looking for trouble with Colombia.

He's been frothing at the mouth on his televised appearances (which happen at a whim, often daily).

He's making more trouble by engaging in petty provocations, and with the number of low-quality militia (and regular) troops he is waving around, things are likely no longer under any real control from the Palacio de Miraflores (Miraflores Palace; the office of the national executive in Venezuela).

This isn't going over very well. A number of sources inside and associated with the Venezuelan military are saying some parts of a war have already started, and it isn't going to end well for Venezuela.

But that's not what friends of Hugo are saying; the best friend he ever had says "I know Chávez very well. He would be the last one to provoke a conflict where Venezuelan or Colombian blood could be shed."

Oh, really?

Clearly we've misjudged Hugo.

If the biggest exporter of Soviet-inspired revolutionary violence in the Western Hemisphere says Hugo is a right fellow, it must be so.

Yeah, right.

Chavez looking for trouble; Uribe looking for support

The #1 fan-favorite here at CompHyp, Hugo A-go-go Chavez, President of Venezuela, has been ranting on about how he expects war with Colombia (and the United States of America) and has recently ordered increased troop readiness along the Colombian border.

The Uribe administration in Colombia is still trying to take the "reasonable" approach to all this, but they have referred the matter to the UNSC for discussion. So long as this can be cast as a preventative measure to counter any war-fever outbreak in the Chavez regime, it is a good move.

The willingness of Correa in Ecuador and Morales in Bolivia to echo the call for "war" should just remind any observer that ALBA (their alliance) never was intended to be a reactive defensive alliance. It is an attempt at forming a regional power bloc to isolate non-member states and then threaten them.

But that threat is still fairly weak; Hugo is still looking for the rest of his "ten battalions of tanks" that were supposed to be there the last time he ordered troops to confront Colombia... but if he keeps buying weapons, one day *soon* he might just have the means to back up his words.

Better to derail this whole ALBA scheme now, before it becomes difficult.

Hugo, again...

Here we go again. As it was passed to me earlier today:

Chávez amenaza con expropiar empresas colombianas

ND (28/07/09-7:55pm).- El presidente Chávez amenazó con expropiar a las empresas colombianas al responder a las denuncias de ese país sobre unos lanzacohetes suecos del tipo AT-4 que fueron encontrados en manos de guerrilleros de las Farc. Al mismo tiempo, Chávez anunció la congelación de relaciones con el vecino país.

Así lo recoge una nota de ABN.

El presidente de la República, Hugo Chávez Frías, advirtió que ante una próxima agresión por parte del gobierno colombiano dirigido por su homólogo, Álvaro Uribe, se quebrantarían severamente las relaciones comerciales y hasta se podrían expropiar empresas neogranadinas en el país.

“La próxima agresión que haya en contra de Venezuela romperemos relaciones comerciales y económicas y comenzaremos a expropiar las empresas colombianas en el país”, precisó el mandatario nacional.

Desde hoy dio la orden al gabinete gubernamental para levantar un informe con las estadísticas comerciales entre ambos países ya que “ellos (el gobierno colombiano) no tienen respeto hacia nosotros y estoy seguro que volverá a suceder un ataque diplomático muy pronto”.

“Si ellos han decidido abrirle las puertas al imperio, con eso han demostrando que no les importa las relaciones con su hermano país Venezuela”, refiriéndose a la instalación de cinco nuevas bases militares del gobierno estadounidense en Colombia.

Sin embargo precisó que "vendrán nuevos tiempos con la Colombia, la Colombia que queremos, la que es nuestra hermana de verdad".

In summary, in English from El Universal:

President Hugo Chávez on Tuesday announced that he ordered the Venezuelan ambassador in Bogota to return to Caracas as the bilateral relations remain "frozen" in the wake of the seizure from the Colombian Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARC) of Swedish weapons that, according to Sweden and Colombian officials, were sold by Venezuela to the rebel group.

He's bent about the new U.S. base-usage agreement with Colombia as well.

Expect the order to move "tank battalions; ten of them" to the border shortly. ...which would impress me more if Hugo Chavez had ten battalions of tanks to order anywhere.

"Tin-pot dictator" does not even begin to describe him adequately.

Uh huh, sure.

I am *so* believing this denial:

FARC denies giving money to Correa's campaign.

Yup. Un huh, sure. Just like the "Raul Reyes" computer files. INTERPOL sure showed those up, didn't they?

...oh, wait. That wasn't exactly how it went, was it? What say we take a look at those video files and see about how they were supposedly "manipulated"...?

AT-4's? Gee... they are around here somewhere.

This qualifies as a pretty clear End-User Certificate violation:

The Swedish government said on Tuesday it had asked Venezuela for information on how Swedish-made weapons exported to the South American country had found their way to rebels in neighbouring Colombia.

For those of you not familiar with the Arms Trade, what that means is serious legal trouble for Hugo Chavez and crew. One does not resell military-grade armaments casually in the modern world and stay out of trouble for long.
(cf. Viktor Bout)

The legal and correct export of those AT-4 light antitank rockets was made by the manufacturer in Sweden based on the certification by Venezuela that *its own armed forces* were the user. Years later (the sale was back in the 1980's), the very weapons so certified have been found in FARC hands inside Colombia. The only legal way that Venezuela is not liable for them being there is if they were reported stolen and certified as lost, which would have meant a bit of legal trouble for losing them *back then*; no such loss is on record.

Unless there is a fall-guy around to take one for the team and be arrested by Venezuela as a thief and arms smuggler, this is going to add another nail to the "Chavez supports the FARC" coffin.

The FARC and Ecuador's Correa

It has always been an open question: Does President R. Correa of Ecuador act in support of the FARC narco-terrorists operating along the Ecuador-Colombia border? Very strongly arguable evidence says "yes" (cf. Raul Reyes), but official activities by the Ecuadoran Armed Forces to shut down drug labs and stem some of the cross-border movements says "maybe no".

But if one turns the question around and asks "Does the FARC support Correa?", well... that answer is a definitive "yes", and that's just the latest evidence of FARC efforts to find friends in neighboring countries.

The Correa administration, of course, denies everything about this.

Correa bites off more than he can chew.

It seems Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa is a bit upset...

Published on June 22nd, Mary Anastasia O'Grady's magnificent indictment of Correa based on "Raul Reyes" documents of connections to the FARC is a very hard hitting piece.

Correa is denying everything and claiming he will file suit.

He's been so good at playing tricks on investors, apparently he thinks he can pull off a coup in the courts...

Let us know how that works out, Big Guy... that is, if you don't get your whole country listed as a State Sponsor of Terrorism in the process.

Colombia and Panama together vs. FARC

This is the kind of cooperation that gets results.

Colombian and Panamanian authorities are working together to target the FARC 57th Front, specifically going after Gilberto 'El Becerro' Torres Muñeton, the commander of that Front responsible for holding open corridors across the border to get drugs out and arms in.

Here's hoping for a successful operation.

This should be good

President Alvaro Uribe of Colombia is in Canada to promote Free Trade, and while he's there he is dropping off a little dossier with some details from the "Raul Reyes" computer files...

RCN reported that the FARC 'foreign offices' are co-ordinated by Mariela Devia Silva, the sister of slain FARC commander 'Raul Reyes' and three of his nephews and a niece. They are believed to have contact with NGOs, trade unions and the Canadian Communist Party.

The information about the guerrilla group's movements is said to have been found in 'Raul Reyes' computers. RCN reported that videos and photos of leaders of the Canadian Communist Party and Colombian FARC operatives were among the evidence found.

original Spanish-langage report from Canal RCN.

Don't count out the FARC yet

Just in case anyone was thinking that the FARC was on its way to the dustbin of history any time soon, *Here* is a report from yesterday's Miami Herald newspaper on what is being called "Plan Rebirth".

Between the FARC and the reforming Sendero Luminoso (Shining Path Movement; Peru), this matter of guerrillas as narco-traffickers is far from resolved.

OFAC listing sets the table for Pursuit of Assets

The U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has promulgated a listing of 14 Individuals and 14 Business Entities, all related to the case of Pedro Antonio Bermudez Suaza (alias "El Arquitecto"), as Specially Designated Narcotics Trafficker(s) (SDNT).

The key man in this network, P.A. Bermudez Suaza, is in Mexican custody facing charges there and is under indictment in the U.S.A. since September, 2008. While several other of the listed individuals are in custody as well, many are not. This OFAC listing sets the table for a massive Pursuit of Assets, which remains one of the most effective means of destroying the material components of trafficking networks.

It doesn't hurt that anything that severs the linkage between the FARC, the Colombian Cartels and the Mexican Cartels is a good thing for eventual peace and security in all the countries along the route.

Padilla gets the call

With former Defense Minister Juan Manuel Santos having by neccesssity resigned to prepare for the next Presidential Election in Colombia, the country was left without one its best leaders in the battle against the FARC.

Thankfully, General Freddy Padilla has stepped up to the job.

He is another steady hand at the helm of the military, well versed in both the matters of internal conflict and foreign threats to the nation.

Another solid choice by the Uribe administration. Bravo.

FARC's 'Reciclo' captured

Chalk up another one for the Colombians:

Wilson 'Reciclo' Urbano Lopez was arrested in Ibagué, Tolima after months of intelligence work, the Police say.

He's reputed to have been the FARC's #2 man on their narco-smuggling side, with contacts all through the Central American transportation chain.

Should be an interesting conversation with the authorities, to say the least.

Source: Colombia Reports.

Curacao Hezbollah Drugs-Arms Ring busted

The Washington Post offers this AP report on the arrest of 17 people, including four Lebanese for alleged involvement in a Drug Trafficking Ring. Citing police chief Carlos Casseres, who said at a news conference:

Some of the proceeds, funneled through informal Middle Eastern banks, went toward supporting groups linked to the militant Hezbollah organization in Lebanon, according to Casseres. The smuggling ring also allegedly forwarded requests from Lebanon for arms to be shipped from South America.

"We have been able to establish that this group has relations with international criminal organizations that have connections with the Hezbollah," prosecutor Ludmila Vicento said.

Pretty clear example of the things spoken of here previously (multiple times); that the Terror-Smuggling-Nexus has spread to the shores of the Caribbean, and that the threat that entails goes far beyond simple drug smuggling.

Another FARC arrest... but in Venezuela?

Yainer Esneider Acosta Peña, the supposed leader of the FARC's 45th Front operation, has been arrested in Zulia State, Venezuela and turned over to Colombia's DAS security service.

Noticia24 confirms the report. (Spanish-language source)

Ok, I'll be the one to ask; What did this guy do to blow his "protected" status?

FARC arrest reveals their operations in Panama

The Panama Star reports that Luis Orovio Lobon, aka “Mello,” in a house in Aguablanca, Cali has now provided documented proof of the FARC drug-and-gun smuggling in Darien along the Panama-Colombia border.

This was a bonus find, frankly, as the Colombian authorities were backtracking a link hoping it led to "Mono Jojoy", Jorge Briceño Suarez, the current priority-number-one FARC leader targeted by the authorities.

The arrest of "Mello" may also finally solve the case of the kidnapping of Juan Cecilio Padron, a Cuban-American, which has been attributed to the FARC.

Since the capture of the "Raul Reyes" computer files, it has been abundantly clear that FARC operatives have long-established activities from Panama through Costa Rica on north as far as Mexico. In several cases now, those operations have been interrupted or shut down by law-enforcement actions.

Here's hoping that this arrest will accelerate the dismantlement of the FARC's Panama operations.

"Don Mario" captured

Amongst the drug trafficking gangs of Colombia, there is a sort of division of labor: Some handle transhipment; some build the containers and vessels like the infamous semi-submarines; some like the FARC control the growers and the processors out in the countryside; some provide the muscle for the intercine wars...

Daniel Rendon, a.k.a. "Don Mario", is one of the latter type. His organization is reputed to provide armed hit-men to the highest bidder. Well, maybe not any more: A Special Element of the Colombian Police have successfully apprehended him.

Now let's see if he will sing about how he got all those guns from the FARC, and maybe other places as well.