Venezuelanalysis.com: OAS: FORT LAUDERDALE- Open Letter to US Ambassador in Venezuela Regarding the People’s Right to Self-Determination

Venezuelanalysis.comOAS MEETING IN FORT LAUDERDALE COULD BE DOMINATED BY RIFT BETWEEN VENEZUELA AND US

Relations between Venezuela and the US, already quite hostile, may be hitting a new low. Venezuela’s president, Hugo Chávez, has threatened to sever diplomatic ties with Washington if it does not hand over a fugitive from Venezuelan law. This dispute, along with the heightened rhetoric in both Washington and Caracas, not only puts at risk the US’s relationship with one of its major oil suppliers. It could also create new friction with other countries in Latin America that oppose the Bush administration’s efforts to isolate the controversial Venezuelan president. Venezuela has an 83 year old extradition treaty with US which has always been honored by both countries. For years Venezuela has had a standing request under this treaty to extradite Posada for trial in the Cubana bombing. Posada and his partner Orlando Bosch had made the bomb in Caracas that downed the Cubana flight. Posada also has Cuban citizenship since he was born there. This makes matters more complicated. Under the Cuban Adjustment Act and the so-called "wet foot, dry foot" policy, once a Cuban sets foot on US soil, whether the entry is illegal or legal, they have the right to stay in the US and work and apply for US permanent residency after a year. They do not need to file asylum cases, and usually don't. Posada was on the CIA payroll for many years until about four months before the Cubana bombing. George Bush Sr. was the CIA Director at the time of the bombing. He was Vice Present at the time when Posada was allowed to escape during his trial in Venezuela and report to Oliver North in Nicaragua and was President when he pardoned Posada's partner Bosch against the recommendation of the Justice Department. The decision to delay the extradition request of Posada is seen by Venezuela as the US Aministration trying to avoid evidence of CIA's involvement in the Cubana bombing from becoming public in a Venezuelan legal proceeding.