( CNN ) -- Colombia and the United States signed an agreement Friday that allows U.S. personnel to be stationed at seven military bases in the South American nation . The United States says it needs the bases to help in its fight against terrorists and narcotraffickers , especially since the closure a few months ago of a U.S. base in Ecuador . The United States maintains similar `` forward operating locations '' in El Salvador and Aruba-Curacao . Colombia 's agreement to host the Americans has come under harsh criticism in Latin America , particularly from President Hugo Chavez in neighboring Venezuela . Chavez has likened the agreement to an act of war and accuses the United States of wanting to stage military personnel nearby to destabilize his leftist government . The U.S. forward operating location in Aruba-Curacao is off the northern coast of Venezuela . The United States linked Colombia 's agreement to a trade pact the South American nation wants . Colombia also stands to gain from U.S. help in the nation 's 45-year-old war against Marxist guerrillas known as the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia , commonly called FARC . Colombian Foreign Minister Jaime Bermudez , Defense Minister Gabriel Silva and Interior and Justice Minister Fabio Valencia Cossio were joined by U.S . Ambassador William Brownfield in signing the document Friday in Bogota , the nation 's capital .
U.S. military personnel may be stationed at seven Colombian bases . U.S. says agreement will help fight against traffickers , terrorists . Venezuelan leader has called agreement an act of war . Colombia wants U.S. aid in 45-year anti-guerrilla battle .