Cables: Chávez betrayed the FARC to appease generals

[Zorro]

The extradition to Venezuela of alleged drug trafficker Walid Makled occurred in the context of an intense diplomatic chess game where President Hugo Chávez sacrificed Colombian guerrillas to capture the dangerous pawn, who kept his government in check, according to leaked documents.

The reports, from the private intelligence firm Stratfor leaked by WikiLeaks, highlight the pressure applied by National Armed Forces’ high-ranking officers to push Chávez into negotiations with Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos’ government.

Makled, accused by the United States of being “a king among the drug lords,” was extradited to Caracas in May although the Venezuelan entrepreneur also faced an extradition request from Washington.

The entrepreneur, who months before had been detained in Colombia, said in various interviews that he was willing to collaborate with U.S. authorities to avoid being extradited to his own country.

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/03/09/2685742/cables-chavez-betrayed-the-farc.html#storylink=cpy