Rocket Launchers Sold to Venezuela Went to FARC

Rocket launchers sold to Venezuela went to FARC

Swedish-made anti-tank rocket launchers sold to Venezuela years ago were obtained by Colombia's main rebel group, and Sweden said Monday it was demanding an explanation.

Colombia said its military found the weapons in a captured rebel arms cache and that Sweden had recently confirmed they originally were sold to Venezuela's military.

The confirmation strengthens Colombian allegations that Hugo Chavez's government has aided the leftist Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, and exacerbated tensions between the neighboring nations over an imminent agreement to expand the U.S. military's use of Colombian air and naval bases.

But the news was supposed to be kept quiet,

President Alvaro Uribe complained over the weekend that if Colombia had kept quiet about the weapons "they'll fire them and obtain more and no one in the international community will halt their sale.

Of course Chavez (again) recalled the Venezuelan ambassador from Bogota and threatened to halt Colombian imports after Colombia made this information public.

Now Colombia has announced that it's seeking to replace its business ties with Venezuela and Ecuador with new markets in Central America and the Caribbean countries, and

Además de los mercados de Centroamérica y el Caribe, los exportadores colombianos también buscarán nuevos socios en mercados como el de Estados Unidos, la Unión Europea y Canadá.

My Translation: In addition to the Central American and Caribbean markets, Colombian exporters will seek new partners in US, European Union and Canadian markets.

Right now would be an excellent time for Congress to finalize and approve the Colombian Free Trade Agreement, wouldn't it?