Venezuela, Colombia and Ecuador have been at odds as a result of a Saturday raid by Colombian police and military on a FARC camp in Ecuador, which killed 21 rebels, including the FARC's number two Edgar Devia, better known by his alias Raul Reyes.

On Monday, Ecuador and Venezuela both condemned the action, sent armed forces to their border with Colombia, and ended diplomatic relations with Colombia.

Oscar Naranjo, head of Colombia's police, said earlier on Tuesday computers belonging to dead rebels in Ecuador had evidence linking Chavez to the FARC. According to Naranjo, Chavez had invited the FARC to make oil investments according to four emails sent by a rebel leader whose alias is Ivan Marquez.

Ecuador's President Rafael Correa told media that what he described as "Uribe's lies" will be exposed by the international community. He added that Colombian forces had clearly violated Ecuador's sovereignty.

In December 2004, Colombia kidnapped a FARC guerrilla in Venezuela's capital, Caracas, and in May 2004, 85 Colombian paramilitary were arrested close to Caracas. Venezuela's government said at that time that Uribe had sent the paramilitaries in a bid to destabilize the Chavez government.

(Xinhua News Agency March 5, 2008)