President Hugo Chavez ordered Venezuela's embassy in Colombia closed and sent thousands of troops to the countries' border Sunday after Colombia's military killed a top rebel leader, according to AP. The Venezuelan leader warned that Colombia's slaying of rebel commander Raul Reyes could spark a war in South America and the angry rhetoric sent relations between the nations to their lowest point in Chavez's nine-year presidency. Speaking on his weekly TV and radio program, Chavez told his defense minister: «move 10 battalions to the border with Colombia for me, immediately.» He ordered the Venezuelan Embassy in Bogota closed and said all embassy personnel would be withdrawn. Chavez condemned Colombia's slaying of Reyes and 16 other guerrillas on Saturday, saying they were killed while they slept in a camp across the border in Ecuadorean territory. He said Colombia «invaded Ecuador, flagrantly violated Ecuador's sovereignty.»
