The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and Venezuela confirmed Wednesday that the four Colombian hostages released by Colombia's Revolutionary Armed forces (FARC) are in stable conditions.
ICRC's spokesman Irma Alvarez said the four former legislators Luis Eladio Perez, Orlando Beltran Cuellar, Jorge Gechem and Gloria Polanco have got a preliminary medical examination after the FARC released them over alleged health problems.
In Caracas, spokesman of the Venezuelan government said the hostages are "safe and in good health."
The four Colombian politicians were picked up by Venezuelan helicopters in a rural zone La Poderosa in Guaviare province, southeast of Colombia at 12:10 p.m. local time (1710 GMT).
The four arrived at Venezuela's Santo Domingo airport, in Tachira state at 4:44 p.m. (2114 GMT) Wednesday and then started their trip to Venezuela' s capital of Caracas.
The FARC handed over the four hostages to Venezuela's Interior Minister Ramon Rodriguez, ICRC representatives and Colombian opposition senator Piedad Cordoba.
Ramon Rodriguez, Piedad Cordoba, two physicians and two ICRC officials accompanied the four former legislators during the trip.
The families of the hostages are waiting for them at Maiquetia's national airport, 20 minutes away from Caracas.
On Jan. 31, the FARC had announced its intention to free Perez, Beltran and Polanco. On Feb. 23, the rebel group added Gechem to the list as he allegedly suffered complicated heart attack.
The four former legislators are part of 43 hostages held by the FARC with the intention to swap 500 FARC troops imprisoned by the Colombian government.
Source: Xinhua
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