colombian - families - Ingrid Betancourt
FARC hostage families turn to Chavez
Tuesday 21 August 2007
Relatives of Colombians kidnapped by Marxist guerrillas -- including French-Colombian politician Ingrid Betancourt's mother -- call on Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez to help break the hostage deadlock.
Tuesday 21 August 2007
By ReutersColombians hope Chavez can help free hostages
CARACAS, Aug 20 (Reuters) - Relatives of Colombians
kidnapped by Marxist guerrillas met on Monday with Venezuelan
President Hugo Chavez and the left-wing leader vowed he would
try to break a deadlock over releasing hostages.
kidnapped by Marxist guerrillas met on Monday with Venezuelan
President Hugo Chavez and the left-wing leader vowed he would
try to break a deadlock over releasing hostages.
Chavez has offered to act as an intermediary between
Colombian guerrillas still fighting a 40-year conflict and the
administration of conservative President Alvaro Uribe who has
led a U.S.-backed military crackdown on the rebels.
Colombian guerrillas still fighting a 40-year conflict and the
administration of conservative President Alvaro Uribe who has
led a U.S.-backed military crackdown on the rebels.
The FARC, or Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, has
held hundreds of police, soldiers and politicians for years,
including French-Colombian politician Ingrid Betancourt,
snatched in 2002, and three Americans kidnapped while on a
counter-narcotics mission the year after.
held hundreds of police, soldiers and politicians for years,
including French-Colombian politician Ingrid Betancourt,
snatched in 2002, and three Americans kidnapped while on a
counter-narcotics mission the year after.
"As of this encounter I will not rest in the search (of an
agreement)," said Chavez, the most visible leader of resurgent
leftist politics in Latin America, during a televised meeting
with the delegation.
agreement)," said Chavez, the most visible leader of resurgent
leftist politics in Latin America, during a televised meeting
with the delegation.
"Just as I have asked the head of the FARC (to cooperate),
and maybe they will hear this message, I also have to ask the
same of President Uribe."
and maybe they will hear this message, I also have to ask the
same of President Uribe."
The delegation includes Betancourt's mother and some
relatives of 11 local legislators kidnapped five years ago and
killed recently in violence the Colombian government blamed on
guerrillas.
relatives of 11 local legislators kidnapped five years ago and
killed recently in violence the Colombian government blamed on
guerrillas.
Chavez asked Colombian Sen. Piedad Cordoba, a Chavez
sympathizer whom Uribe has named as an intermediary, to help
him make contact with the FARC's leadership.
sympathizer whom Uribe has named as an intermediary, to help
him make contact with the FARC's leadership.
He promised to act as "an observer and a guarantor" of the
effort to seek a hostage exchange.
effort to seek a hostage exchange.
Uribe and Chavez are scheduled to meet in Bogota on August
31 to continue the talks.
31 to continue the talks.
"We have always asked for a meeting zone to be established,
but the important thing is for the FARC and the government to
sit down face to face," Angela de Perez, the wife of a
kidnapped lawmaker, told Colombia's Caracol television.
but the important thing is for the FARC and the government to
sit down face to face," Angela de Perez, the wife of a
kidnapped lawmaker, told Colombia's Caracol television.
"I hope we can do something," Chavez, said during an
afternoon speech. "Maybe after today's meeting I will be
obligated to seek contact with the guerrillas."
afternoon speech. "Maybe after today's meeting I will be
obligated to seek contact with the guerrillas."
Uribe has fostered an image as a hard-nosed leader who has
openly confronted the guerrilla groups and negotiated the
surrender of right-wing paramilitary death squads in a campaign
to reduce Colombia's violence.
openly confronted the guerrilla groups and negotiated the
surrender of right-wing paramilitary death squads in a campaign
to reduce Colombia's violence.
The FARC want Uribe to demilitarize an area the size of New
York City in southern Colombia to help talks over swapping key
hostages for jailed rebels. Uribe has released some guerrillas
in a good-will gesture, but refuses to withdraw troops under
the rebels' conditions.
York City in southern Colombia to help talks over swapping key
hostages for jailed rebels. Uribe has released some guerrillas
in a good-will gesture, but refuses to withdraw troops under
the rebels' conditions.
U.S. officials have charged that Chavez, a self-styled
socialist revolutionary, has openly aided FARC rebels, without
presenting evidence to support the charges.
socialist revolutionary, has openly aided FARC rebels, without
presenting evidence to support the charges.
Uribe and Chavez have clashed over problems patrolling the
two nation's porous border, and in 2005 Chavez cut economic
ties to Colombia after bounty hunters snatched a FARC leader in
Caracas without Venezuelan involvement. But the ideologically
opposed leaders say they maintain good ties.
two nation's porous border, and in 2005 Chavez cut economic
ties to Colombia after bounty hunters snatched a FARC leader in
Caracas without Venezuelan involvement. But the ideologically
opposed leaders say they maintain good ties.
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