FARC denies receiving Chavez's money

Thu, 20 Mar 2008 22:01:23
The FARC has denied receiving money from Hugo Chavez saying the group does not accept financial support form foreign governments.

The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) made the statement after Colombian media and officials accused the Venezuelan president of promising $300 million to the rebel group, UPI reported.

Colombian officials based their claims on data allegedly retrieved from a laptop captured by Colombian forces during an incursion into the Ecuadorian territory this month to hunt FARC rebels.

The FARC's second-in-command Raul Reyes and some 20 other rebels were killed during the raid.

The killing of Reyes on Ecuadorian soil provoked a diplomatic row, causing Ecuador and Venezuela to severe diplomatic relations with neighboring Colombia and send troops to their respective borders.

However, the Latin American countries managed to end the crisis avoiding a regional firestorm.