Venezuela denies links with ETA, FARC

Venezuela has denied allegations by Spain that the socialist nation has ties to terrorist groups active in South America and Europe.

“We do not house guerrillas, nor do we have a pact with guerrillas,” said Venezuelan Congressman Hayden Pirela.

Pirela was responding to a 26-page indictment by Spanish judge Eloy Velasco, who accused Caracas of acting as a link between the Basque separatist group ETA and FARC rebels in Colombia.

Velasco also charged a suspected member of ETA, Arturo Cubillas Fontan, of serving numerous high-level roles within the Venezuelan government of President Hugo Chavez.

Seven members of the FARC and six members of ETA have also been accused of terrorism, conspiracy to commit murder, and numerous other offenses by the judge.

Following the report, the Spanish government urged Venezuela to clarify its position on the issue and on Monday Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero stressed that his government “will act in accordance with that explanation.”

Colombian President Alvaro Uribe has also called on his country’s authorities to deal with the Spanish judge’s indictment “through diplomatic channels.”

Pirela meanwhile dismissed the indictment as “part of a campaign to discredit Venezuela.”

Chavez, who is in Uruguay to attend the inauguration of new President Jose Mujica, is yet to comment on the subject.

The latest development comes a day after the long-sought ETA military leader, Ibon Gogeascoechea Arronategui, was captured along with two other suspects in northern France.

The Spanish government blames ETA for the deaths of almost 830 people in a 4-decade-long armed campaign for the independence of the Basque region of northern Spain and southwest France.

According to Spain’s investigations, ETA has been training FARC members since 2003 and in exchange, FARC has compensated the Basque terrorists using revenues from drug trafficking.