On Monday, Colombians reported a thick, acrid smoke in the skies above Bogota and the pollutants have been analysed in a Caracas laboratory. On the condition of anonymity, sources in Caracas told us that gas samples were secretly captured by a Venezuelan aircraft that flew low over the city, disguised as a U.S. airplane (not an uncommon sight in Colombian skies). The Colombian government learned the true identity of the aircraft hours later and President Alvaro Uribe charged Venezuela with a violation of Colombian air space.

The gas samples taken revealed toxic levels of mercury, sulfide, lead and cinnabar. Chinese consultants in Venezuela confirmed that in ancient times, these elements were commonly used in China by alchemists for turning base metals into gold. The complex process involves cooking and re-cooking the compound in stages. They explained that the process can signify either an "external or inner alchemy". The external process is meant to literally transmute base metals into gold and often resulted in the fatal poisoning of the alchemist. The inner process is associated with an application to spiritual life involving fundamental changes in one's perceptions and mental state, a dangerous process except for the adepts. 

From a Bogota Hotel

Unnamed sources also reported that the acrid smoke appeared to rise from a 5 star hotel in Bogota. An unidentified special ops team raided the suite used by Reuters reporter, Hugh Bronstein, who was working in tandem with U.S. operatives out of Langley, Virginia. A talisman was found in the abandoned suite containing an elixir constructed of the materials described above. Based on this information, we posit that Bronstein was practicing inner alchemy, using fragments of the truth, which affected his rational and perceptual fields. Evidence supporting this hypothesis is found in Bronstein's report, Criticism grows over Colombia's U.S. military plan. (Reuters, Aug. 3)

In the report (provided below), Bronstein attempted to transmute the "base metals" of a few facts into a golden story that explains Colombia's isolation in Latin America. The result was an amalgum striated with discolorations, a weak alloy and a poisoning of the atmosphere. Sadly, it is also possible that a mental-status exam on the amateur alchemist would reveal that Bronstein's experiments with the truth have resulted in some sort of thought disorder. 

The Reuters/Bronstein Objective

Bronstein's alchemy attempts to produce a golden Colombian President Alvaro Uribe Vélez out of the base metals of drug-running, assassinations, human rights violations and civil war. He mixes this premise with false accusations against the Venezuelan government, projecting Uribe's tainted character and history onto President Hugo Chavez. This experimental alchemy is a transparent design to explain Colombia's isolation and to malign Chavez. Read the evidence:

The Premise

Bronstein first employs the leaden statement, "The mounting criticism threatens to isolate Colombia from its neighbors as it seeks help from the United States to combat drug-running guerrillas and cocaine cartels." This premise is flawed on two counts: (1) Colombia is not "threatened" with isolation in Latin America. It has been isolated in Latin America for years. (2) The Colombian government is not seeking "help from the United States to combat drug-running guerrillas and cocaine cartels." It has been deeply involved with lucrative drug-running and cocaine cartels for decades. It is the history of the Uribe regime's drug-running, right-wing paramilitaries, death squads, assassinations of trade union leaders and oppression of the indigenous and poor Colombians that has turned the continent against this pariah state and brought misery to its inhabitants. These admittedly serious charges are supported with hard evidence provided below.

The Current U.S. Military Buildup in Colombia

Bronstein describes the new US military buildup in Colombia as one that will consist of a maximum of 800 US soldiers, but private U.S. military contractors are omitted from this alchemic stage. Later, he parrots "a high-level official in Colombia's defense ministry who asked that his name not be used", indicating that the upcoming pact will probably involve an additional "200 plus" Americans in Colombia, including contractors and soldiers. The problem with this trickery is that his math doesn't come out right. The contract between the U.S. and Colombia allows for 1,400 U.S. troops and private military contractors in Colombia. Even these numbers do not tell the whole story as Colombian soldiers are being trained in the notorious School of the Americas in Georgia. Moreover, the current military buildup actually began under the Bush regime and is now augmented by Obama and the Democrats. The 2005 U.S. Defense Department authorization act, approved by Congress, permitted the Bush administration to increase the number of U.S. citizens working for private contractors in Colombia to 600 from 400.

The Reuters/Bronstein words belie the actual agreement between the U.S. and Colombia. On July 16, U.S.-Venezuelan attorney, Eva Golinger set the record straight:

"Meanwhile, Washington is busy moving its military installations from Manta, Ecuador, where it has maintained a Forward Operating Location (FOL) since 1999, to neighboring Colombia, pumping up its presence next to Venezuela ... 

"President Rafael Correa of Ecuador refused to renew the Pentagon's contract to maintain its presence at the Manta base, forcing its ouster this year. The US began its move today. Despite the persistent denials by US Ambassador in Colombia, William Brownfield, regarding the Manta base's relocation to Colombia, Colombian President Alvaro Uribe confirmed the relocation today, stating, 'obtaining agreements with countries like the United States, so that, with all due respect to the Colombian constitution, and Colombian autonomy, they help us in the war against terrorism, against drug trafficking, is in the best interests of our country'. The agreement negotiated between Colombia and the US establishes the use of Colombian bases in Malambo (northern part of the country), Palanquero and Apiay (center of Colombia) by US military forces. Colombia is also offering use of two other bases in Larandia, in the Caquetá State and Tolemaida, in the center of the country. The agreement is for an initial 10-year period and authorizes the presence of 800 US military forces and 600 private security forces as contracted by the Pentagon."

U.S. Military Aid to Colombia for the "War on Drugs"

Colombia is the third largest recipient of U.S. military aid in the world after Israel and Egypt. Most of the U.S. $518 million to be given to Colombia next year will not be used for the so-called "war on drugs". Garry Leech, writing for the Colombian Journal described the U.S. plans for this money:

"The Obama administration is seeking to reduce funding for counternarcotics and law enforcement programs by 13 percent (from $247.5 million to $216 million) while increasing aid to the Colombian military that is not specifically tied to the war on drugs by 30 percent (from $57.6 million to $74.6 million)."

In the Reuter's report, Bronstein misleads again:

"Colombia, Washington's main ally in the region, says the deal is aimed at strengthening anti-drug efforts ... The United States is in talks with Uribe's government about relocating U.S. drug interdiction flight operations to Colombia after being kicked out of neighboring Ecuador. Colombia expects to sign a deal this month after a final round of talks in Washington."

Later Hugh Bronstein admits that U.S. aid to Colombia also targets the insurgents in Colombia's civil war. 

"Colombia ... has received billions of dollars in U.S. aid to fight the drug trade and the rebels, whose 45-year-old insurgency kills and displaces thousands of people every year."

Here, Bronstein admits that U.S. dollars are not only used to fight the drug trade but also to quash the resistance movement against the Colombian government. 

President Uribe and the Cocaine Cartels

In order to justify this use of the U.S. military, for years the corporate media has tried to link the Colombian Resistance with the cocaine industry; whereas the real brotherhood has been between the drug cartels and President Uribe himself. He once worked for the Medellin Cartel and was a close friend and associate of the infamous Pablo Escobar. The evidence comes from no less than declassified Pentagon documents:

"In September 1991 the U.S. Department of Defense compiled a list of individuals believed to be associated with Colombia's notorious Medellin drug cartel. There are 106 names on the newly declassified intelligence document, and they read like a who's who of thugs, assassins, midlevel traffickers and crooked attorneys. The cartel's ruthless kingpin, Pablo Escobar, was prominent on the list, of course, along with the former Panamanian dictator Gen. Manuel Antonio Noriega. But the real head turner is item No. 82, which reads as follows:

'Alvaro Uribe Vélez - a Colombian politician and senator dedicated to collaboration with the Medellin cartel at high government levels. Uribe was linked to a business involved in narcotics activities in the U.S.... Uribe has worked for the Medellin cartel and is a close personal friend of Pablo Escobar Gaviria'.

"The Pentagon report portrays Uribe in a light sharply at variance with his current image as Washington's main ally in the U.S.-financed war on drugs in South America."

President Uribe and the Civil War

Bronstein goes on weaving his web of false innuendo and disinformation. He blames the insurgency for the "deaths and displacement of thousands of Colombians each year", when responsibility for this suffering should be laid at Uribe's feet. Uribe's broken promises to the FARC, refusals to negotiate prisoner exchanges, interferences with the release of FARC prisoners and missile attacks during negotiations with FARC - all demonstrate Uribe's disinterest in making peace in the decades-long civil war in Colombia. Peace in Colombia would not serve him or his Washington bosses well. It would rob them of the cover they need to advance their neo-liberal policies in Latin America.

Venezuela, Swedish Rockets and the FARC

Bronstein throws in accusations that the Chavez administration has provided weapons to FARC citing the only evidence which is generated by the Uribe government; that being Uribe's claim that Swedish rockets bought by Venezuela "were found in a FARC arsenal". With an Israeli war plane, piloted by Israelis, crashing in Colombia 2 weeks ago, who is to say what is the real source of Uribe's "FARC rockets", if he has them at all.*

Moreover, it is well known that the arms industry has it's tenacles in markets throughout the world. Guns, rockets and bombs can come from anywhere and go anywhere. While Sweden may or may not sell rockets directly to Colombia, it has "cooperation partners" who will resell their arms to this Latin American country. Vapen Export reported on 4/11/01 that,

"Sweden's five cooperation partners approve of arms exports to countries to which Sweden today prohibits exports. Colombia, Egypt, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Turkey are open for export from the five countries that Sweden will cooperate with."

In 2008, Swedish arms exports increased by a whopping 32 percent with 59% of their sales going to countries in the European Union, Norway, and Switzerland and 28 percent of sales to “established partners” such as the United States, Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, and South Africa. The claim that Venezuelan-bought Swedish rockets ended up in the hands of the FARC is an absurdity. The technical prowess of the U.S. military enables it to falsely identify any rocket it chooses as a purchase by their enemy.

But don't expect Hugh Bronstein or Reuters to bother mentioning the very real possibility that Uribe's extreme malpractice as a head of state is what brought isolation to Colombia. Nor should we expect them to reveal that Uribe is fabricating evidence against his neighbor or that there are alternative routes for rockets to arrive in Colombia other than through Venezuela. The Reuters/Bronstein report is far from golden and their alchemy produces anything but the golden truth. It's another poisoning corporate report based on fragments of information woven into a deception and a front for U.S. imperialism in Latin America. Finally, as a humanitarian gesture, we're sure that Cuban doctors in Venezuela would be willing to provide a psychological workup, including a mental status exam for Mr. Bronstein and recommend appropriate treatment.

- Les Blough in Venezuela

* Update: AFP reports today that President Chavez has traced Swedish arms claimed to have been found in a FARC camp to a robbery in 1995:

Venezuelan arms in FARC hands were stolen: Chavez
August 5, 2009
(AFP)

CARACAS — Rocket launchers and automatic rifles found in a Colombian rebel camp were stolen from a Venezuelan naval post 14 years ago, President Hugo Chavez said Wednesday, denying Bogota's claim he gave them to the insurgents.

The anti-tank launchers, bought from Sweden by Venezuela in the 1980s, had been in the arsenal in the post in Cararabo, close to the Colombian border, that was cleared out in the robbery in 1995, Chavez told a news conference.

He described Colombian claims that he supplied them to the rebel Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia as a "dirty move".

He claimed Bogota made the allegation to divert attention from a plan to open seven military bases in Colombia to US forces, which has triggered opposition across South America.

Chavez on July 28 announced he was freezing diplomatic ties with Colombia because of the weapons allegation.

AFP

Criticism grows over Colombia's U.S. military plan
By Hugh Bronstein

BOGOTA, Aug 3 (Reuters) - A plan to increase the number of U.S. troops in Colombia is drawing opposition, not just from left-wing populist leaders in the region but from the moderate governments of Brazil and Chile as well.

The mounting criticism threatens to isolate Colombia from its neighbors as it seeks help from the United States to combat drug-running guerrillas and cocaine cartels.

President Alvaro Uribe will tour South America this week to try to ease concerns about the upcoming military pact.

Colombia, Washington's main ally in the region, says the deal is aimed at strengthening anti-drug efforts.

The United States is in talks with Uribe's government about relocating U.S. drug interdiction flight operations to Colombia after being kicked out of neighboring Ecuador. Colombia expects to sign a deal this month after a final round of talks in Washington.

The plan is expected to increase the number of U.S. troops in Colombia above the current total of less than 300 but not above 800, the maximum permitted under an existing military pact, officials said.

Leftist Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez accuses the United States of setting up a military platform in Colombia from which to "attack" its neighbors.

Chavez allies in Ecuador, Bolivia and Nicaragua were quick to blast the plan as well. But Colombia was shocked late last week when Chile, a model of free-market policies, and regional heavyweight Brazil voiced concern about the deal as well.

"I don't like the idea of an American base in the region," Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said.

Uribe will meet with Lula, Chile's President Michelle Bachelet and other South American leaders starting on Tuesday. His toughest critics, Venezuela and Ecuador, are not on his itinerary.

Bachelet called the Colombia-U.S. talks "disquieting" and said the proposal should be discussed at the Aug. 10 meeting of the South American Unasur group of nations. But Uribe and his foreign minister do not plan to attend the summit.

The meeting will be held in Ecuador, which has broken off diplomatic relations with Colombia over a 2008 bombing raid targeting Colombian rebels who were camped out on Ecuador's side of the border.

Ecuador and other socialist governments in the region are deepening economic ties with Russia, China and Iran, while denouncing Uribe for his ties to U.S. "imperialists."

'INCREASINGLY ISOLATED'

"Colombia is increasingly isolated from its neighbors," said Bogota-based security analyst Armando Borrero.

"This has a snowball effect in that it makes the government even more reliant on Washington," Borrero added.

Chavez last week called Venezuela's ambassador back from Bogota over a controversy in which Venezuelan officials are accused of providing Swedish-made anti-tank rockets to the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, rebel group.

Colombian and Swedish authorities asked Venezuela for an explanation after the rockets were found in a FARC arsenal.

Chavez denies helping the guerrillas. His response has been to threaten to nationalize Colombian businesses in Venezuela and to blast the expected U.S.-Colombia pact.

Washington is negotiating to move those operations in Colombia, which has received billions of dollars in U.S. aid to fight the drug trade and the rebels, whose 45-year-old insurgency kills and displaces thousands of people every year.

Colombia is frustrated by the reaction to the talks.

"Where was the hysteria when these operations were being run out of Ecuador?" said a high-level official in Colombia's defense ministry who asked that his name not be used.

"Mexico is having the worst security crisis in its history due to the drug trade and people are saying we should not help them by doing interdiction operations. It's ridiculous," the official said.

The upcoming pact will probably involve an additional "200 plus" Americans in Colombia, including contractors and soldiers, the official said.

U.S. troops in Colombia help plan counter-insurgency missions but are not allowed in combat, a restriction that would not change under a new military accord.

(Additional reporting by Raymond Colitt in Caracas, editing by Will Dunham)

Reuters