President Bush is accusing the Venezuelan government of supporting terrorism in the ongoing fallout from Colombia’s cross-border attack on FARC rebels earlier this month. On Wednesday, Bush said Latin Americans should reject what he called “the vision of the terrorists.”

President Bush: “The stakes are high in South America. As the recent standoff in the Andes shows, the region is facing an increasingly stark choice: to quietly
accept the vision of the terrorists and the demagogues or to actively support democratic leaders like President Uribe. I’ve made my choice. I’m standing with courageous leadership that believes in freedom and peace.”

Chavez has called for negotiations with the FARC to resolve Colombia’s internal crisis.