Venezuela suspected of supplying the Russian MANPADS Colombian guerrillas.

KommentariiRusskie idut09.05.2009Otechestvennoe weapons wins Latin AmerikuSyuzhetyArest Buta19.05.2009Reshenie Viktor Bout's extradition will be taken in Venezuela, Russia avgustePriobretenie man-portable air defense systems confirms fears of U.S. arms groups the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). As reported by The Miami Herald, in 2007, according to the American authorities, senior officials from Venezuela, the FARC has offered such weapons.
The supply of portable anti-aircraft missiles to insurgents, according to the U.S. leadership can cause a new spiral of violence in the country, because in recent years by the Colombian government forces a large number of planes and helicopters of the U.S. production. They are used to destroy the FARC camp in the jungle.
According to The Miami Herald, the representative of the State Department Mangiarasina Sara (Sara Mangiaracina), that Venezuela bought from Russia MANPADS are modern. Their movement must be controlled to avoid the possibility of sabotage. "
The publication also quoted the spokesman of the Southern Command U.S. Army Col. Bill Costello (Bill Costello), stated that the United States do not regard China as a military threat, but fear that the supply of weapons to the FARC could become a long-term threat to security in the region.
In late April 2009, reported news agencies on the procurement in Russia MANPADS announced President Hugo Chávez of Venezuela. Such a weapon was shown and the military parade in Caracas. However, information about exactly what the system has acquired Venezuelan army, there were contradictory. As suggested by journalists, it could be obsolete MANPADS Strela.
In the "Rosoboronexport" refuted this information, stating that at the parade in the capital of Venezuela, has been demonstrated MANPADS such as "needle" by Karakas earlier. Nevertheless, according to official data, over the past few years, Russia has to Venezuela defense products worth about 4 billion dollars. Basically this aircraft, helicopters, and small arms.
It should be noted that in March 2008 at the request of American law enforcement officials in Thailand, was arrested by Russian businessman Viktor Bout, whom the U.S. accused of arms trafficking. Washington also believes his involvement in the supply of arms by Colombian guerrillas.