Venezuela denies flying Colombian rebels

CARACAS, Venezuela, July 24 (UPI) -- Venezuelan officials Thursday denied reports that the government flew Colombian rebels to Nicaragua for a celebration of the Sandinista revolution.

Officials said it was an effort by opponents of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez to discredit the leftist leader, El Universal reported online.

A leading Nicaraguan newspaper reported earlier this week that a small plane belonging to the Venezuelan state-owned energy company PDVSA picked up the leftist Colombian rebels and flew them to Nicaragua to commemorate the 29th anniversary of when the Sandinista's first came to power in the Central American country under former and current President Daniel Ortega.

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