Yet despite their extremely unpresidential exchange of insults at the Rio Group meeting, the incident may turn out to be a watermark in Colombia-Venezuela relations, with some prospects for diplomatic and trade improvements emerging.
Dominican Republic President Leonel Fernandez, who brokered a Chávez-Uribe handshake in 2008 after a previous falling out, will head a hastily-formed “Group of Friends” to mediate between the pair after the high-profile spat in Mexico.
Chávez now hints at a relaxation of trade restrictions against his neighbour — Colombia’s main complaint and a drag on both economies. But Colombia and Venezuela have elections this year, and both men could be tempted to keep playing ‘macho’ for domestic audiences.
With Colombia the main US ally in South America and Chávez the leader of a leftist ‘anti-imperialist’ bloc in the region, the rows between the two presidents have come to symbolize political fissures running through the continent.
In Mexico on Monday, the pair clashed at a luncheon with fellow heads of state when Uribe complained Chavez had imposed a “trade embargo” since last year in anger at Colombia’s plan to allow US troops more access to its military bases.
Chávez told Uribe to “go to hell”, while Uribe told Chávez to “be a man”, according to reports of the luncheon incident that neither side has disputed.
Colombia’s former foreign minister Augusto Ramirez Ocampo, who now heads a think-tank at Bogota’s Javeriana University, said both men had lost prestige by stooping to the language of street-fighters, but there could be a positive outcome.
“Such an incident is damaging for the whole hemisphere, it makes people think of banana republics,” he said. “Yet there has been an immediate dividend when the other presidents reacted by forming a group of friends. That is a big advance.”
Trade hit
A day after the fight with Uribe, Chávez said he was willing to reconsider buying more from Colombia. But as in the past the fiery Venezuelan could toughen his rhetoric again.
Venezuela started looking for other trade partners last year in retaliation for Colombia’s military base deal with the United States.
Colombia says its exports to Venezuela — $6 billion the year before the dispute — fell 70 percent in 2009 as a result.
Venezuela has felt the impact too, with job losses in the border region, where most people rely on trade with Colombia, and higher prices as people seek goods elsewhere.
“Colombia has been really hurt economically by this dispute, and that is what has upset Uribe,” said Michael Shifter, of Washington think-tank the Inter-American Dialogue.
“Uribe has always had a short fuse. With Chávez, he had been keeping emotions in check, but this kept building up.”
While the countries need each other economically, both men may, however, have short-term political temptations to keep stoking the flames of their rivalry.
“Economics should trump politics if sense prevailed, but you never know with those two, they’re volatile guys driven by political considerations,” said a diplomat in the region.
Uribe is considering seeking a third term in Colombia’s May presidential election, and a tough stance against Chávez could play well with domestic voters, some commentators think. Still, public opinion in Colombia appears to be swinging against an Uribe re-election bid — the Constitutional Court may rule on it this week — in which case he would not have to worry so much about burnishing credentials.
Venezuela’s relations with Colombia may depend on who replaces Uribe. If re-election is blocked, the current front-runner is former defence minister Juan Manuel Santos, who describes himself and Chávez as like “oil and water.“
Chávez is also eyeing an important vote in September, for Venezuela’s National Assembly legislature. With the government facing a host of problems — from inflation and crime to water and electricity cuts — the traditionally browbeaten opposition is sensing a chance to slash his majority.
Chávez, who wants a resounding win to silence critics and provide a springboard for re-election in 2012, has used the Colombia dispute to rally support in recent months, painting Uribe as a US pawn intent on destabilizing Venezuela.
In both nations, the Chávez-Uribe dispute fascinates people akin to one of the soap operas so popular in Latin America.
Media and web sites were agog with Monday’s exchange. And barely a couple of days later, T-shirts were selling in Caracas with Uribe’s taunt emblazoned on them: “Chávez, be a man!”
