April 28

Chávez: Contacts with FARC were "destroyed"
Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez stated that his government lost its contacts with the Colombian guerilla of the Colombian Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARC) and added that the attempts at a humanitarian agreement to swap hostages with imprisoned rebels "have turned complex."

"We lost contact with FARC. We had created a contact system that was crushed," Chávez said in his Sunday radio and TV show "Aló, Presidente." He also made mention to a meeting held last Saturday with Bill Richardson, governor for the US state of New Mexico, ATP reported.

Richardson "came to discuss the issue on the US people kidnapped by FARC and the humanitarian process, which has turned very difficult. However, I showed him our willingness to help him on this," Chávez added.

Diplomatic stress complicates release of hostages in Colombia
During a three-country tour starting on Monday, French Minister of Foreign Affairs Bernard Kouchner will deal with the issue of strained relations among Colombia, Ecuador and Venezuela, as they hinder the release of the people held by the Colombian Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARC).

Jean-Michel Marlaud, the French ambassador to Bogotá, told reporters that the primary purpose of Kouchner's visit is "to discuss the regional situation." "Having tension among neighboring countries is a shame, because such situation entangles the arrangements for the freedom of hostages."

"For us, it is very important that Colombia, Ecuador and Venezuela have good relations," the diplomatic told Colombian radio Caracol.

Kouchner will meet on Monday in Bogotá with Colombian President Álvaro Uribe and with Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa in Quito on Tuesday. The minister will complete his journey in Caracas, where he will visit Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez.

April 30

French FM arrives in Venezuela; meets with Chávez
French Minister of Foreign Affairs Bernard Kouchner arrived on Tuesday at 11:20 pm, in Caracas, where he will meet with Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez.

His visit is intended to renew the steps to free the hostages from the Colombian Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARC).

Some French diplomatic sources informed AFP that Kouchner, who traveled in a commercial flight from Quito, planned to meet with Chávez, and probably with his counterpart Nicolás Maduro, on Wednesday, at noon.

May 1

The Miami Herald: Venezuela seeks training from FARC
The Venezuelan government asked the Colombian Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARC) "to share their experience in guerrilla warfare," in the face of a potential "US invasion," The Miami Herald released on Thursday.

The information is part of a number of files accessed by the newspaper. According to a Colombian high-ranking official, it was found in a computer belonging to guerrilla man "Raúl Reyes," the second in charge of FARC who died last March 1st.

In one of his almost 15 disclosed e-mails, a person signing as "Iván" informed FARC command that "request for the military cooperation" came from "Venezuelan Minister of Internal Affairs Ramón Rodríguez Chapín," The Miami Herald stated.

A Colombian official, who asked for anonymity, pointed out that "Iván" is "Iván Márquez," one of FARC guerilla heads and also, according to the Colombian government, the direct contact of the rebel group in Venezuela, instead of "Raúl Reyes."