Initiatives and proposals are multiplying to secure the release of 41 hostages "political" FARC, exchanged 500 imprisoned guerrillas under a humanitarian agreement. After the end of the captivity of four former Colombian parliamentarians, the President of Venezuela, Hugo Chávez, has proposed that a group of friendly countries in Latin America receives officials and Colombian FARC to negotiate the release of all prisoners of the guerrillas.

On the same subject
Ingrid Betancourt in distress
"Ingrid is dying, there was no time"


In a telephone message to the chain of state television VTV, the head of the Venezuelan State stated that "this is an idea that is taking shape within this group (of friends) capable of train immediately and receive an emissary of Manuel Marulanda (leader of FARC) and a Colombian to begin discussing the release of all hostages. " Chávez added that this option was considered a priority by his government and he mentioned the creation of a group of countries type "Contadora" (created in 1983 to deal with the explosive situation in Central America).


Prisoners of war


"The Secretary General of the OAS (Organization of American States), José Miguel Insulza, agreed, and I talked recently with one of his envoys, former foreign minister of Argentina, Dante Caputo . "Venezuelan President counts on the support of Brazil, Argentina, France, Ecuador, Bolivia, Cuba and Switzerland. According to him, the only obstacle to the formation of this group is the Colombian government: "All are in agreement except (Colombian President Alvaro) Uribe."

Moreover, according to one of the hostages released - Luis Eladio Perez - who was able to speak with Ingrid Betancourt on Feb. 4 while he was still in captivity, the former presidential candidate for the Colombian believes that the negotiations for exchange of hostages in Colombia must take place under the auspices of the Geneva Convention. He said during his first press conference Thursday in Caracas, that "to Ingrid, there are political alternatives […] The exchange must be achieved between prisoners of war under the Geneva Convention, with the condition paramount that the Colombian President Alberto Uribe recognizes the political status FARC. " According to the former hostage Ingrid Betancourt insists that "civilians should be excluded from the conflict to achieve a humane war."

No further unilateral release

Since South Africa, where he is visiting, Nicolas Sarkozy, who has made the release of Ingrid Betancourt a priority, called a "humanitarian gesture", but warned Marxist guerrillas holding hostage last six years. "It's a matter of life or death humanitarian emergency," said Sarkozy. I am ready, as desired by President Chavez, if it is the condition of his release, to go myself on the border between Venezuela and Colombia to seek Ingrid Betancourt whether this should be a condition of FARC. "Family Ingrid Betancourt, it launched Thursday in Paris a desperate appeal to save the hostage "to the brink of death"

Wednesday, four FARC hostages, including Luis Eladio Perez, holders of alarming news on the state of health of the French-Colombian, had been released without consideration by the Marxist guerrillas in Colombia, before being transferred to Venezuela to be submitted to President Hugo Chavez. Since then, the FARC have ruled out any further unilateral release and want to be a military withdrawal in the municipalities of Florida and Pradera (800 sq. km in the south) before entering into negotiations