Venezuelan academic Gerardo Arellano warned that the government could find itself under heavy scrutiny from the United Nations (U.N.) if allegations that Colombian guerrillas used banks in Venezuela prove to be true, reports El Nacional.
Arellano referred to testimony by Ramiro Diaz, the vicar of the town of Machiquez in the Venezuelan state of Zulia. In the testimony, Diaz alleged that a guerrilla leader had made bank transactions in Machiquez, which is near the Colombian border.
Resolution 1373 of the U.N. Security Council directs member states to “prohibit their nationals or any persons and entities within their territories from making any funds, financial assets or economic resources … for the benefit of persons who commit or attempt to commit or facilitate or participate in the commission of terrorist acts.”
“There may be a concern from the government about the U.N. policy on terrorism in resolution 1373 of 2001, which clearly defines the attitude of those countries that support terrorism,” Arellano said.
In late July Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez broke all ties with Colombia, following Colombian allegations before the Organization of American States that there are 87 guerrilla camps in Venezuelan territory.
The two neighboring countries attempted to address the issue at a special meeting of the Union of South American States (UNASUR) in Quito last week, but no agreement was reached.
The crisis is now high on the agenda at this week’s Mercasur meeting in Argentina, but Chavez said that he will not attend as he is unwell.
Chavez said his doctors had advised him not attend because he got wet and caught the flu. Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro will represent him at the conference.
Arellano is the director of the School of International Studies at the Universidad Central de Venezuela.
