GUSTAVO MÉNDEZ
EL UNIVERSAL

Venezuelan President Hugo continues to target a meeting with the chief of the Colombian Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARC), Manuel Marulanda, and therefore he asked for "help" from his Colombian counterpart Álvaro Uribe to achieve such goal.

"I believe the government of Colombia should facilitate rather than thwart the meeting," Chávez said rejecting the Colombian Minister of Defense Juan Manuel Santos' statement that mobilization of FARC commanders would take place at their own risk. Such remarks resulted in the adjournment of a meeting scheduled to be held on October 8 between FARC delegates and Chávez.
 
The Venezuelan ruler has been making efforts so that the Colombian government and FARC reach a humanitarian agreement to swap hostages held by the rebel group for some 500 FARC members who are in jail.

Chávez used the first part of his weekly radio and television show ¡Aló, Presidente! (Hello, President!) to talk about the issue of his mediation efforts in Colombia.

Further, he announced he would meet with Uribe next October 12. "He (Uribe) does want the humanitarian agreement, he has told me that, and I believe him. But if I cannot talk to the FARC, what can I do?"

From the Ávila mountain that overlooks Caracas and holding binoculars, Chávez pretended he was looking for Marulanda. As he could not find the rebel leader, Chávez sent him a message: "See you on the line," that is to say, on the border. Chávez said he would take care of Marulanda's safety in Venezuela.

Meanwhile, Colombian senator Piedad Córdoba -a mediator in the humanitarian swap- endorsed the suspension of the meeting. "I am happy that we made the right step to adjourn the meeting. I do believe the safety conditions were inadequate. Fear could spoil our plans. I think that, together with FARC, your decision -which I endorsed- was right," she told Chávez.
  
"We are going to hold a meeting, without much noise, at the time we really deem appropriate."

Translated by Maryflor Suárez R.
msuarez@eluniversal.com