COLOMBIAN REBELS THREATEN VIETNAM-TYPE CONFLICT

Wars And Rumors Of Wars

Anti-Government Marxists Rattle Sabers On Eve Of Clinton Visit

A Colombian guerrilla army, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, has
condemned the arrival this Wednesday of U.S. President Bill Clinton to that
South American nation and warns that Clinton "is on the verge of converting
Colombia into another Vietnam."

The rebel army, known as FARC, is the largest rebel army in Latin America.
It stated that Clinton "is not coming in peace and is not supporting a
political solution," according to official Cuban sources.

Clinton is coming to Colombia to announce a $1.3 billion aid package that
is intended to assist the Colombian military in fighting the manufacture
and sale of illegal drugs in that nation. The Marxist FARC claims the U.S.
money will be used to support "Colombia's oligarchy," which is "willing to
surrender the country's sovereignty to imperialism's insatiable greed."

The statements were carried by Radio Habana Cuba, the official broadcasting
service of the Cuban government.

Clinton will travel to Cartagena, Colombia, for a six-hour visit and meet
with Colombian President Andres Pastrana. The two presidents are to be
joined by an entourage of 700 other Colombians for a symbolic walk down the
main street of Cartagena.

The FARC and the smaller Liberation Army of Colombia have long been accused
of having an alliance with Colombia's powerful drug cartels and using the
proceeds of drug sales to finance their rebellion.

The communist guerrillas have been locked in a four-decade-long war with
the Colombian government and right-wing paramilitary groups, with no sign
of a final military victory in sight for either side.

In March, the Liberation Army of Colombia succeeded for the first time in
plunging Bogota, Colombia's capital, into total darkness following an
attack on part of the nation's power grid. Much of the northern region of
Colombia was also darkened.

In April, the Colombian government agreed to a "demilitarized zone" in the
north of the country, giving the Liberation Army of Colombia de facto
control of the area. A similar arrangement was reached with the FARC last
year, giving that rebel group a large section of territory in the south of
the country.

According to Radio Habana, the Marxist guerrilla groups have already
increased weapons purchases in anticipation of the U.S. aid package.
Reports indicate that Colombia's neighbors are concerned that the conflict
may spill over into their territory.

Ecuador is planning to commit troops to defend its nearly 400-mile border
with Colombia, and Brazil may send troops to the town of Tabatinga on the
Brazilian-Colombian border.

There are also persistent reports that Venezuela, Colombia's neighbor to
the east, is actively supporting the communist guerrilla movements.
Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jose Rangel has denied that his military was
involved in providing the Colombian rebels with weapons. Rangel did
concede, however, that the 1,300-mile border between the two states is
nearly impossible to guard.

A former ally of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez made similar allegations
regarding Venezuelan assistance to the Colombian revolutionaries. During
the recent elections in Venezuela, Jesus Urdaneta, a former police chief
and opponent of Chavez, stated that Venezuela was secretly providing arms
to the Colombian rebels.

Chavez has denied the allegations. An admirer of Cuban President Fidel
Castro, Chavez won an overwhelming victory in the July 30 election.