Chávez and Gaddafi urge redefining of ‘terrorism’
By Benedict Mander in Caracas
Published: September 29 2009 21:43 | Last updated: September 29 2009 21:43
Venezuela’s President Hugo Chávez and Libya’s Muammar Gaddafi have joined forces to urge the world to redefine “terrorism”.
After a summit last weekend for African and South American leaders on the Venezuelan island of Margarita, the two leaders signed a document rejecting attempts to link terrorism to ”the legitimate struggle of the people for liberty and self-determination”.
While emphasising the importance of attacking terrorism “in all its forms, including state terrorism”, the controversial duo called for an international conference to establish a new definition for the concept of terrorism.
The two leaders – who have both come under attack from the US and others for allegedly supporting terrorism – also pushed for wholesale reform of the United Nations Security Council, which Mr Gaddafi referred to as the “Terror Council” at the UN General Assembly last week.
Mr Chávez, who denies accusations of backing the Colombian Marxist guerrilla group FARC, generated unease during the summit when one of his ministers said that Iran was helping Venezuela in the detection and testing of uranium deposits in remote areas near the Brazilian border. Another minister subsequently denied that this was the case, stating that Venezuela was only working with Russia to develop nuclear energy for peaceful purposes.
Calling for an “anti-imperialist” front across Africa and Latin America, Mr Gaddafi and Mr Chávez also proposed the establishment of a South Atlantic Treaty Organization to rival Nato. They also mooted the creation of a bank spanning the two continents, following the recent inauguration of South America’s Bank of the South with start-up capital of $7bn that is to be increased to $20bn.
“We are changing history, we are standing up to imperialism, to the bourgeoisie and backwardness, to 500 years of colonialism that has assaulted our people,” said Mr Chávez.
Venezuela’s self-styled socialist leader expressed “delight” at Mr Gaddafi’s first ever visit to South America, referring to him as “one of the great leaders of this century”, and presenting him with a replica of a sword of South American independence hero Simon Bolivar.
Mr Gaddafi, who was spotted shopping for digital cameras and jewellery as well as posing in photographs for bemused tourists in Margarita on Monday, reciprocated by giving his Venezuelan counterpart a set of handmade silver armour.
Mr Chávez earlier also singled out Zimbabwe’s leader, Robert Mugabe, for praise during the summit meeting over the weekend. “I wish to give our moral, spiritual and political support to Mugabe and the people of Zimbabwe,” Mr Chávez said. “They seek to make Mugabe pay for being anti-colonialist.”
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