Brazil offers to mediate Lat Am row

BRASILIA, Brazil, March 3 (UPI) -- Brazil offered Monday to mediate tensions among three South American nations arising from the killing of a Colombian rebel in Ecuadorian territory.

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva reportedly will discuss ways to diffuse the tension with leaders from Argentina and Chile, which have also offered to help negotiate an end to the dispute among Colombia, Venezuela and Ecuador.

Colombia angered neighbors Venezuela and Ecuador after its forces killed a leading leftist rebel leader and 16 of his followers at a remote jungle camp about one mile inside Ecuador.

Venezuela and Ecuador both sent troops to their respective borders with Colombia in response to the killing of Raul Reyes, a leader of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC.

The FARC have been battling Colombian forces for more than 40 years.