Venezuela Adds Firepower on Colombian Border

Venezuela deployed tanks to the Colombian border, Reuters reports, as Latin American tensions remained high enough that Hugo Chavez warned of an Andean war. Though Colombia refused to send reinforcements to its border, the mobilization of heavy artillery, including support from air and sea forces, is the first in the standoff following Colombia's weekend incursion into Ecuador to killFARC rebels.

Ecuador’s president continued to slam Colombia’s raid, saying “the region will be in danger" if the violation of Ecuador’s sovereignty is not condemned by the international community. Despite the saber-rattling, all-out war between the countries is still seen as unlikely, because they depend on mutual trade—and because Colombia’s US-equipped army holds a strong advantage. (More Colombia stories.)