남미의 위기 (BBC 주요 사진)

 

The week-long crisis that threatened to plunge Latin America into turmoil began when Colombian troops killed a leading leftist rebel on a raid into Ecuador on Saturday 1 March.

 

Initially, no diplomatic harm seemed to have been done. Colombia's defence minister described the raid as the "biggest blow so far" to Farc rebels, and congratulated the army.

 

But the following day, Ecuador's President Rafael Correa denounced the operation as "scandalous" and an "aggression", saying he had not been consulted.

 

In Colombia's fellow neighbour Venezuela, President Hugo Chavez warned that any similar venture on Venezuelan territory would be "cause for war".

 

The two countries retaliated - first cutting some diplomatic ties, and then announcing thousands of troops were being deployed to their respective borders with Colombia.

 

As the week wore on, the crisis threatened to hit commercial ties. Here, goods destined for Colombia are held at the Venezuelan border under orders from President Chavez

Colombia fought back. Documents recovered in the cross-border raid, officials claimed, suggested Ecuador and Venezuela had provided undercover support to Farc rebels

 

As tensions spiralled, the UN urged restraint and Washington suggested the matter was blowing out of all proportion. But at a meeting on Tuesday the recriminations continued.

 

And Colombia's counter-insurgency tactics were denounced in protests on the streets of various Latin American cities.

 

At a regional summit on Friday, more harsh words were spoken, with Colombia's President Uribe repeating accusations of Ecuadorean support for the Farc.

But finally the region's worst spat in decades subsided. The leaders of Ecuador, Venezuela and Colombia shook hands. To delegate applause, the matter was declared "resolved".

 

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_pictures/7284725.stm