Colombians held by rebels ask Venezuela for help
BOGOTA, Colombia, Jan 21 (Reuters) - Twelve Colombian politicians held by Marxist rebels since 2002 are asking neighboring Venezuela to help negotiate their freedom in a video released by the guerrillas.
The video, broadcast on Colombian television on Saturday, shows the former lawmakers from Valle de Cauca province asking the government of Venezuela to intervene on their behalf after nearly four years of being held in what one hostage calls the "life-consuming jungles of Colombia."
They were captured in a raid in the city of Cali by members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, who herded the lawmakers into a bus while posing as soldiers on a mission to protect them from a bomb threat.
The 12 are among dozens of political leaders, police and army officers, some of whom have been held for up to seven years in secret camps by the rebels. The hostages include three Americans and Ingrid Betancourt, a Colombian-French national seized while campaigning for president in early 2002.
The 12 appeared in the video against a gray backdrop to obscure their whereabouts. They expressed frustration at the lack of progress in reaching a deal to exchange rebels held in government jails for 63 high-profile FARC hostages.
"Considering the indifference of the government and the FARC for an accord to secure our freedom, I formally ask Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez to grant me political asylum. And I ask the leaders of the FARC not to block this petition," hostage Nacianceno Orozco says in the video.
Hostage Juan Carlos Narvaez made the same plea in the video, which was the first proof the 12 were alive since a video was released in October 2004.
Venezuelan Foreign Ministry officials could not be immediately reached for comment.
Colombian President Alvaro Uribe told reporters he was sure that Chavez, a left-winger accused in the past by some Colombian officials of supporting the FARC, would help the hostages if possible.
"The Colombian government would accept the hostages being sent to Venezuela under any conditions, including asylum," Uribe said. "The most important thing is that they are reunited with their families as soon as possible."
Uribe last month accepted a proposal by France, Spain and Switzerland to break the deadlock with the guerrillas over starting talks on freeing the hostages.
He agreed to clear government troops from around a small mountain town in southern Colombia to hold negotiations with the FARC, which funds itself with the country's cocaine trade.
Although the plan appeared close to meeting the rebels' earlier demands, the FARC responded that while it had not seen the proposal there would be no hostage swap with right-winger Uribe, who is running for re-election this May.
Polls show voters would react favorably to a hostage exchange.
The video, broadcast on Colombian television on Saturday, shows the former lawmakers from Valle de Cauca province asking the government of Venezuela to intervene on their behalf after nearly four years of being held in what one hostage calls the "life-consuming jungles of Colombia."
They were captured in a raid in the city of Cali by members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, who herded the lawmakers into a bus while posing as soldiers on a mission to protect them from a bomb threat.
The 12 are among dozens of political leaders, police and army officers, some of whom have been held for up to seven years in secret camps by the rebels. The hostages include three Americans and Ingrid Betancourt, a Colombian-French national seized while campaigning for president in early 2002.
The 12 appeared in the video against a gray backdrop to obscure their whereabouts. They expressed frustration at the lack of progress in reaching a deal to exchange rebels held in government jails for 63 high-profile FARC hostages.
"Considering the indifference of the government and the FARC for an accord to secure our freedom, I formally ask Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez to grant me political asylum. And I ask the leaders of the FARC not to block this petition," hostage Nacianceno Orozco says in the video.
Hostage Juan Carlos Narvaez made the same plea in the video, which was the first proof the 12 were alive since a video was released in October 2004.
Venezuelan Foreign Ministry officials could not be immediately reached for comment.
Colombian President Alvaro Uribe told reporters he was sure that Chavez, a left-winger accused in the past by some Colombian officials of supporting the FARC, would help the hostages if possible.
"The Colombian government would accept the hostages being sent to Venezuela under any conditions, including asylum," Uribe said. "The most important thing is that they are reunited with their families as soon as possible."
Uribe last month accepted a proposal by France, Spain and Switzerland to break the deadlock with the guerrillas over starting talks on freeing the hostages.
He agreed to clear government troops from around a small mountain town in southern Colombia to hold negotiations with the FARC, which funds itself with the country's cocaine trade.
Although the plan appeared close to meeting the rebels' earlier demands, the FARC responded that while it had not seen the proposal there would be no hostage swap with right-winger Uribe, who is running for re-election this May.
Polls show voters would react favorably to a hostage exchange.
posted by Marko at 1/21/2006 06:42:00 PM
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