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Chavez Announces FARC Prisoner Release and Arrival in Venezuela
Via NY Transfer News Collective * All the News that Doesn't Fit
[The corrupt Brazilian anti-Venezuelan legislators who were
mocking Chavez for his "failure" are probably laughing out of the other
side of their mouths today. See earlier stories about right-wing US
plots involving Colombia and Venezuela, and Brazilian obstructionism,
here:
"The Right-Wing Brazilian Politicians vs Venezuela and FARC"
http://blythe-systems.com/pipermail/nytr/Week-of-Mon-20080107/073924.html
"The Predictable Intellectual Whores at CSIS Study Colombia"
http://blythe-systems.com/pipermail/nytr/Week-of-Mon-20080107/073925.html
"Latin America 2008: A year of definitions?"
http://blythe-systems.com/pipermail/nytr/Week-of-Mon-20080107/073926.html
-NY Transfer]
Prensa Latina, Havana
http://www.plenglish.com
FARC Prisoners Arrive in Venezuela
Caracas, Jan 10 (Prensa Latina) Colombian former candidate to Vice
President Clara Rojas and former congress deputy Consuelo Gonzalez
arrived at the Venezuelan airport of Santo Domingo, Venezuelan state of
Tachira Thursday.
Rojas and Gonzalez were released by the Colombia Revolutionary Armed
Forces (FARC) Thursday, and both were transferred from Colombia after
they were released.
The mission was successful, after they were picked up in a zone whose
coordinates were informed by FARC members to Venezuelan authorities.
In statements to the press, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said he
had information from Venezuelan Interior Minister Ramon Rodriguez
Chacin that Rojas and Gonzalez had been liberated, and were in his
hands.
Chavez said he had the chance to talk to Rojas and Gonzalez after their
liberation and informed the planes used in the rescue operation were
returning to Venezuela.
He was grateful for the support of the Colombian government to this
operation, and pointed out that the prisoners' families would be
waiting for them at the Simon Bolivar Airport, Venezuelan state of
Vargas, and asked communication media to respect the wishes of the
relatives.
ef tac mem PL-31
***
Choppers to Pluck Colombia Captives to Safety
Bogota, Jan 10 (Prensa Latina) Two International Red Cross helicopters
departed from the airport in San Jose del Guaviare at 10:00 hours,
local time, to a spot in the Colombian jungle to pick up two detainees,
the release of whom was announced by the FARC.
The operation to hand over Clara Rojas, ex vice presidential candidate,
and ex congresswoman Consuelo Gonzalez started on Thursday, with those
aircrafts" departure from Venezuela at around 06:00 hours.
At 08:30 hours sharp, both helicopters perched on the landing strip of
San Jose de Guaviare for refueling and headed for the spot chosen by
the FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia), on the coordinates
they handed in to the Venezuelan government on Wednesday.
According to the plan, the operation could conclude on Thursday.
Defense Minister Juan Manuel Santos said all kinds of military
operations were suspended for 12 hours, between 06:00 and 18:00 hours
on Thursday, in an extensive area, including El Retorno and San Jose
del Guaviare.
However, that period could be extended if necessary, Santos said.
Good weather conditions are predicted during the day in the whole area,
and it will favor the operations to rescue the two detainees.
The mission to release Rojas and Perdomo was reactivated on Wednesday
after Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez reported that the guerrillas had
given him the coordinates, and contacts were immediately established
between Caracas and Bogota authorities.
It has been predicted that when the humanitarian delegation secures
Clara Rojas and Consuelo Gonzalez, it will fly directly to Venezuela,
where both women would meet their relatives, who have stayed in Caracas
for weeks.
The minister said the return to Venezuela will be through the north
route, flying over Arauca and Casanare departments, with possible
refueling at the airport in Yopal, a city in that last territory.
hr/iom/rc/mf PL-16
***
Colombian Humanitarian Op Moving
Caracas, Jan 10 (Prensa Latina) The humanitarian operation to release
two of the people detained by Colombian insurgents is in progress,
sources from the International Red Cross Committee (IRCC) for Venezuela.
Irma Alvarez, spokesperson from that entity, told the Venezolana de
Television program "En Confianza" that the airplanes involved in the
action have set off for the neighboring nation.
Alvarez said that representatives from the Red Cross travel in those
aircrafts and officials from that organization also participate in the
coordination from Colombian territory.
The IRCC is in contact with authorities from both countries, and as to
coordinates informed by the guerrilla stated that once the operation
started "the information was shared with the participants."
About the duration of that step, Alvarez expressed the importance of
taking into consideration atmosphere, conditions and time the team will
take to locate the zone.
The handover of Clara Rojas, former candidate for the Colombian vice
presidency, and former legislator Consuelo Gonzalez became possible
after the guerrilla informed of the coordinates.
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez announced Wednesday that Colombia's
Revolutionary Armed Forces reported on the location of the zone for the
release of those people.
The insurgents informed in mid December their willingness to deliver
the mentioned people to Chavez.
hr/iff/mem/mf PL-6
***
Chavez Announces FARC Hostage Release
Caracas, Jan 10 (Prensa Latina) Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez
announced on Thursday that the release of Colombian ex vice
presidential candidate Clara Rojas and ex congresswoman Consuelo
Gonzalez became a reality.
Chavez told the press he already talked to Interior ministry Ramon
Rodriguez Chacin, who reported that he welcomed the two women from the
hands of the insurgent FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia).
The Venezuelan president announced he was able to listen well to the
voices of Rojas and Gonzalez, and reported about the return of the
aircrafts used to transport the rescued hostages to Venezuela.
The statesman thanked collaboration of the Colombian administration to
carry out the operation that made possible to release the people
mentioned above.
The aircrafts involved in the action departed on Thursday early morning
from the Tachira state.
The choice of fulfilling the release of Clara Rojas and Consuelo
Gonzalez gained ground after it was announced that the guerrillas
handed in the coordinates for the operation.
Chavez announced on Wednesday that the FARC reported about the place
where the release would be performed.
ef iom mem PL-18
*
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