Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez told media on Wednesday that he has finally received coordination for the release of two hostages by Colombia's largest rebel army, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).
Speaking at an event to welcome the nation's volleyball team, which had just won their ticket to this year's Olympic Games in Chinese capital Beijing, he said that the nation's Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro is in touch with his Colombian counterpart seeking authorization for Red Cross aircraft to pick up the hostages.
"This morning we received a message from the FARC high command giving the location of a mountain in Colombia where we can find Clara Rojas and Consuelo Gonzalez," Chavez said.
In December statement, the FARC had promised to release former legislator Gonzalez, former vice-presidential candidate Rojas, and Rojas's young son Emmanuel to Chavez, as a compensation for his August-to-November mediation work.
Even though Chavez sent a mission with Red Cross aircraft and observers from seven nations to Colombian city Villavicencio on Dec. 26, the Colombian government suspended the operation on Dec. 31 after it turned out that Emmanuel was in a state orphanage, not in guerrilla hands, and because the guerrillas never supplied the pick up point.
On Wednesday, Chavez added that the Venezuelan government had made a formal request to Colombia to fly to the pick up point in Colombia's Guaviare Department and expressed his wish that both women would soon be freed.
Patricia Elena and Maria Fernanda Perdomo, Gonzalez's two daughters received the news with great joy in Venezuelan capital Caracas, where they are waiting for the arrival of their mother. They also expressed their thanks to all Venezuelans for their solidarity and support.
Source:Xinhua
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