Venezuela to U.S.: Fight to the Death

All is not well between Colombia and Venezuela. The trouble began when a military agreement between Colombia and the United States -- allowing Washington access to seven bases in the Andean country -- became public earlier this summer. Venezuela, together other regional powers, expressed concern about a U.S. military presence in the region (though none would be permanently based in Colombia), most vocally in a summit that trashed the Colombian President, Alvaro Uribe.

Chavez has assailed the military agreement, saying it "amounts to a declaration of war" by neighboring Colombia against his government. A policy paper released by the country's embassy said that Venezuela was being used as a scapegoat for Colombia's and the region's problems.

Similar yelling between Caracas and Bogota has happened many times before. But this time, it looks like Chavez is acting on some of his threats -- most notably to shut Venezuela's borders to Colombian trade.

How's this for a sign of the times? This border sign reads, my translation: 

Let us swear! Fight to the Death

If the Yankee Empire dares to profane the sacred soil of the land of Bolivar [Venezuela]

Gringos: We are here waiting for you"

Might be slightly scarier if the word "dare" (highlighted in the box) was not mis-spelled...