Cuba backs Caracas in Venezuela-Colombia row

Cuba backs Venezuela's self-defense rights in case of war, a senior Cuban official said Monday, amid rising tensions between Caracas and Bogota.

Speaking at an official ceremony marking the 57th National Rebellion Day in the central city of Santa Clara, Jose Ramon Machado Ventura, Cuba's first vice president of the Council of Ministers, reaffirmed Havana's deep solidarity with Venezuela.

He also condemned the presence of U.S. military bases in Colombia, which he says poses a danger to the whole Latin America.

The senior official made the comments as a large Venezuelan delegation led by Vice President Rafael Ramirez was in the island state for the annual National Rebellion Day celebrations as well as a Cuba-Venezuela summit.

Machado said the summit was aimed at boosting bilateral ties, strengthening bilateral economic links and launching new projects in benefit of both nations and peoples.

The show of solidarity came on the same day when the Venezuelan foreign ministry announced that Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro had started a seven-nation South America tour to warn about the possibility of Colombia raiding his country.

Caracas severed ties with Bogota last week after the latter accused it of hosting Colombian guerilla chiefs on its soil. Caracas firmly denied that charge.

Source: Xinhua