Chavez rules out relations with Uribe government

At the press conference going on right now, Hugo Chavez says there is no possibility of Venezuela renewing diplomatic relations with the current Colombian government: There will not be a restoration of this relationship. It is painful, but it won’t happen. There are no relations with the government of Colombia. But I love Colombia and ...

By , a former associate editor at Foreign Policy.

At the press conference going on right now, Hugo Chavez says there is no possibility of Venezuela renewing diplomatic relations with the current Colombian government:

At the press conference going on right now, Hugo Chavez says there is no possibility of Venezuela renewing diplomatic relations with the current Colombian government:

There will not be a restoration of this relationship. It is painful, but it won’t happen. There are no relations with the government of Colombia. But I love Colombia and I wish the best for Colombia. 

On meeting Obama: "When we met, threre was chemistry between us…He was criticized just because we shook hands. Did you think we were going to threaten each other with a hammer?"

Here’s a short video I took of Chavez in action:

Joshua Keating was an associate editor at Foreign Policy. Twitter: @joshuakeating

More from Foreign Policy

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping give a toast during a reception following their talks at the Kremlin in Moscow on March 21.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping give a toast during a reception following their talks at the Kremlin in Moscow on March 21.

Can Russia Get Used to Being China’s Little Brother?

The power dynamic between Beijing and Moscow has switched dramatically.

Xi and Putin shake hands while carrying red folders.
Xi and Putin shake hands while carrying red folders.

Xi and Putin Have the Most Consequential Undeclared Alliance in the World

It’s become more important than Washington’s official alliances today.

Russian President Vladimir Putin greets Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.
Russian President Vladimir Putin greets Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.

It’s a New Great Game. Again.

Across Central Asia, Russia’s brand is tainted by Ukraine, China’s got challenges, and Washington senses another opening.

Kurdish military officers take part in a graduation ceremony in Erbil, the capital of Iraq’s Kurdistan Region, on Jan. 15.
Kurdish military officers take part in a graduation ceremony in Erbil, the capital of Iraq’s Kurdistan Region, on Jan. 15.

Iraqi Kurdistan’s House of Cards Is Collapsing

The region once seemed a bright spot in the disorder unleashed by U.S. regime change. Today, things look bleak.