Will Chavez say ‘eff you’ back to Bush?

Venezuela’s President Hugo Chavez doesn’t have to “explain … its conspiring” to anybody, especially not a Bush Administration that risks looking like Yanqui imperlialistas.

The U.S. is accusing Chavez of conspiring with Columbia’s FARC guerillas against its elected government:

“It will either have to commit itself to using its relationship with the FARC to promote peace or it will have to explain why members of its government are conspiring against a democratic neighbor,” Assistant Secretary of State Thomas Shannonsaid in a speech in California.

That’s after a FARC leader’s laptop allegedly, allegedly had info about FARC ties to some Venezuelan officials.

First, Columbia got the computer by a cross-border raid into Ecuador that inflamed tensions in northern South America. Second, although neither Chavez nor FARC leaders have denied the computer’s content, you never know with this administration. Stovepiping evidence is just one step away from planting evidence.

Hell, Columbia’s President Alvaro Uribe could have had the evidence planted before turning the computer over to Washington.

Second, just what does “conspiring” mean in Washington’s mind? Does Dick Cheney think Chavez was meeting with FARC leaders in Prague?

Third, even Bush, while mendacious about oil matters, isn’t that stupid about them.

What’s he going to do, announce a trade embargo against Venezuela and watch oil prices climb even higher? Yes, oil is fungible, but, indirect transport still jacks up prices, as does the worry of instability.