The Venezuelan President Hugo Chaves has called the Colombian defense minister mentally retarded, the remarks are likely to further strain the already tense relations between the neighboring countries. From Caracas, Will Grand reports. President Chavez rarely pulls his punches when it comes to criticizing his opponents and on an occasion, the political discourse descends into plain insult. This was the case when the Venezuelan leader responded to a recent statement by the Colombian Defense Minister Gabriel Silva in which he attacked Venezuela for allegedly turning a blind eye to drug trafficking flights taking off from its territory. He’s mentally retarded, said President Chaves, he must be. President Chaves went on to say that the Colombian government did whatever the United States demanded of them. The background to this conflict lies in a decision by Colombia to grant the US access to seven military bases on its soil.