Earlier this year Columbian President Alvaro Uribe asked Hugo Chavez to act as mediator between the Columbian government and leftist guerrillas. Uribe asked Chavez to mediate, because the rebels have expressed admiration for the dictator of Venezuela.

The hope was that Chavez could broker the release of hostages held by the guerrillas, or at the very least work out some kind of prisoner swap with the Columbian government.

When Chavez asked Uribe for permission to talk with Colombian generals about the hostages, the Uribe responded with the humor he often uses to diffuse tension with the Venezuelan leader: “No, you might turn them into Chavez-followers.”

But on Wednesday Chavez got on the telephone with the head of Colombia’s armed forces and asked about the kidnap victims whom Uribe wants to swap for guerrillas held in jail.

Upon hearing that Chavez had defied his orders not to speak with the Columbian armed forces, President Uribe abruptly canceled the talks and fired Chavez.

President Uribe is very popular with Columbians, because he refuses to be intimidated by rebel groups such as the FARC which routinely kidnap columbian citizens and foreigners.

Columbia has the highest rate of kidnappings in the world, and President Uribe is the first President in many years who appears to be making some headway against the criminal elements that have run wild in Columbia for decades.

-Samantha Giles