EL UNIVERSAL

Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez Wednesday said he was given the coordinates of the place where helicopters are supposed to pick up two hostages held by the rebel Colombian Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARC), Clara Rojas and Consuelo González.

Nine days following failure of a pompous plan staged by the Venezuelan ruler to rescue the hostages the FARC vowed to deliver to him, Chávez asserted that the FARC have provided the coordinates for the hostage release, Reuters reported.

"Hopefully tomorrow (Thursday), first thing in the morning, helicopters will be taking off from Venezuela, accompanied by the Red Cross, bound for Guaviare (Colombia)," said Chávez.

"Hopefully, in the next few hours hostages will be freed (...) Peace, peace is the way," he added.

Meanwhile, Colombian High Commissioner for Peace Luis Carlos Restrepo Wednesday said he spoke to Venezuelan Interior and Justice Minister Ramón Rodríguez Chacín to refine the details of the rescue operation.

Restrepo said progress was made to carry out the humanitarian action "with the best cooperation spirit between both countries."

The Colombian high-ranking official reiterated his willingness "to provide guarantees so that the operation is completed successfully." He added that the humanitarian mission is being carried out "with coordination and discretion."

Translated by Maryflor Suárez R.
msuarez@eluniversal.com

Read the Special Feature about the humanitarian swap in Colombia