Venezuela troops destroy bridges to Colombia

Bloomberg:

Venezuelan troops blew up two foot bridges that connect the country with Colombia, aggravating tensions along the border that Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has said could lead to war.

Venezuelan soldiers dynamited rope suspension bridges crossing the Tachira River near the Colombian hamlet of Ragonvalia, in the northeastern province of Norte de Santander, Colombian Defense Minister Gabriel Silva said in a statement yesterday on the ministry’s Web site. Venezuelan Vice President Ramon Carrizalez said the bridges were used to move contraband.

“It’s almost like somebody’s hitting a piece of flint trying to get a spark going,” said Adam Isacson, director of the Center for International Policy in Washington. “The minor incidents are coming fast and furious. If you’re looking for a casus belli, something is coming up almost every day.”

Chavez last week told his military to prepare to resist an invasion by Colombia, which signed an agreement last month to give U.S. troops access to Colombian bases. Colombia’s government has denied any intention of attacking Venezuela and says the U.S. accord will help fight drug trafficking and domestic terrorism.

...

Footbridges are a very unlikely invasion route, and besides that, Colombia has indicated zero intention of invading Venezuela. It appears to be just another provocation by Chavez to distract from his incompetent command economy which is dragging Venezuela down in a way that no invasion force is ever likely to accomplish.

Ironically it may inhibit one of Venezuela's income streams as a transit point for exporting FARC drugs to Europe through Africa.

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