The "obvious explanation" for a change of mind of Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez concerning the Colombian Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARC) can be found in the laptops seized from the guerrillas last March by Colombian authorities, said The Washington Post as quoted by AP.

To date, the officials close to the president "have offered no coherent answer" to the claims of alleged contacts between Chávez and the FARC, said the daily newspaper in its editorial.

The article recalled that just five months ago, Chávez asked governments to recognize the FARC as a "legitimate belligerent force." He changed his mind last weekend when suggesting the guerrillas that they should free all the prisoners "in exchange for nothing." Also, he asked them to virtually lay down their arms, because "at this moment in Latin America, an armed guerrilla movement is out of place."

"Their thousands of digital files contain powerful evidence that Mr. Chávez and Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa accepted aid from the FARC while rising to power and later provided or promised the group money, weapons or safe harbor."

"Mr. Chávez clearly hopes to avoid the consequences of supporting a terrorist group against a democratic government, which could include the addition of Venezuela or some of its senior officials to the State Department's list of terrorism sponsors. Perhaps, too, Mr. Chávez hoped to take credit for what some Colombian sources say may be an imminent move by the FARC to free hostages," added the Washington Post.

"Either way, his discrediting of armed revolutionary movements (…) can only be welcomed," said the newspaper editorial entitled "A welcome flip-flop."