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Chavez to continue efforts to liberate remainig FARC hostages

by rahul | July 9, 2008 at 06:13 pm | 323 views | 13 comments | 2 recommendations

After talking over the phone with recently released FARC hostage Ingrid Betancourt, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez renewed his intention to liberate remaining hostages in Colombia. Furthermore, Ingrid Betancourt would help him do it, Chavez added.

In addition to this new turn in Chavez´s humanitarian mediation role, Colombian President Alvaro Uribe is expected on Friday at the city of Coro- Western Venezuela - to discuss improvement of bilateral relations. FARC issues are expected to be included in the agenda too.

Venezuela's Chavez offers to mediate possible peace, hostage talks with Colombian rebels

2008-07-10 00:57:11 -

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is offering to help mediate possible peace talks between Colombia and that nation's largest rebel group.
Chavez says he spoke with recently released hostage Ingrid Betancourt and she urged him to join her in seeking the freedom of all captives held by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC.
He said in a televised speech Wednesday that «we are willing to help» with any negotiations on hostage releases and peace efforts.

The Venezuelan president played a key role in negotiations that prompted the FARC to release six hostages this year. But Colombian President Alvaro Uribe abruptly ended his involvement in November after accusing him of overstepping his mandate.

Related sources: Globovision, VTV, YVKE, Telesur,La Vanguardia,

Related stories: Colombia: Should Uribe run for a third term?

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mpress

at 18:21 on July 9th, 2008

I think Chavez and Castro have done enough damage already by financing and supporting the terrorists FARC...

rahul

at 18:27 on July 9th, 2008

Are there any recongnition on Chavez´s efforts to liberate hostages at all? His humanitarian role is different from Bush sponsored Plan Colombia.

Luiz Castro

at 18:54 on July 9th, 2008

That is an other source for the same headline:

La ex-candidata presidencial colombiana y secuestrada por más de seis años por la guerrilla marxista de las FARC, Ingrid Betancourt, reconoció que en rueda de prensa luego de su liberación por parte del ejército colombiano, que la mediación del presidente venezolano en el conflicto fratricida y la liberación de secuestrados es importante, pero que toda colaboración que este pueda prestar se debe hacer siempre respetando la voluntad democrática del pueblo colombiano.

Como para que no le quedaran dudas, Betancourt le recordó que a Hugo Chávez que el pueblo colombiano eligió a Uribe Vélez, no a las FARC.

El mensaje de Ingrid Betancourt para Hugo Chávez es claro y sencillo: no intente dictar los términos bajo los que va a ir a colaborar o mediar en pos de la solución al conflicto bélico colombiano. Es algo de lógica elemental, un mediador no puede ser un elemento positivo en su labor si a quienes pretende ayudar sienten que este está imponiendo las condiciones y actuando de manera parcializada hacia una de las partes.

Por cierto, si usted lee la nota de la Agencia Bolivariana de Noticias sobre las palabras de Ingrid Betancourt nunca se enteraría de esta parte de las declaraciones de la ex-senadora colombiana. ¿Por qué será?

rahul

at 19:02 on July 9th, 2008

Sorry, but yor cited source reports an old statement made by Ingrid Betancourt while she was still under the Colombian government "protection". Once she arrieved in France and felt rather relaxed another view emerged. As reported, Betancourt asked President Alvaro Uribe to stop FARC hate speech and cancelled her return to Colombia under fear of attacks. The source of this news is reported as it appeared at the Venezuelan opposition Globovision and Pr-Inside. Presenting old news as recent comments disrepect readers. It is not ethical.

Luiz Castro

at 19:08 on July 9th, 2008

Are you a judge?

rahul

at 19:23 on July 9th, 2008

Request is an essential component of happiness. I am just a reader and certainly not blinded by political and religious bias. Could you please quote recent and faithful stories when commenting on mine. It is most disturbing to read a weak case that does not improve the story. It is disrispectful to our readers.

Luiz Castro

at 19:27 on July 9th, 2008

Sorry I have no intention on make you a sad person. Where is the religious bias?

Luiz Castro

at 19:25 on July 9th, 2008

"The source of this news is reported as it appeared at the Venezuelan opposition Globovision and Pr-Inside" That is fine, you made your point, you are again selecting sources and qualifying these according to your convenience.

Does the highlitghed article reflects or not Betancourt opinion? Are you affirming she has changed her mind? How can you know that?

rahul

at 06:04 on July 10th, 2008

Yours is a another fail attempt to shadow the fact that other hostages remain under FARC captivity and Chavez promised to keep an eye on them for freedom.How it hurts your convictions to accept such a fact!

mpress

at 07:10 on July 10th, 2008

Of course Chavez keeps an eye on the hostages he is a major investor in FARC.

rahul

at 07:21 on July 10th, 2008

Thanks for reading my stories on efforts to liberate remainig FARC hostages. You can rest assured I will keep reporting on this issue as Plan Colombia is so complicated an investment it needs more than one story to depict its whole intervention and crime.