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Colombian hostage release nears Venezuela set for hostage flights
(about 9 hours later)
Helicopters will soon be departing from Venezuela to pick up three hostages being held in the Colombian jungle, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez says. Venezuelan aircraft are ready to begin a mission to Colombia shortly to pick up three hostages Colombian rebels have said they will release.
Left-wing rebels agreed last week to free the two politicians and a three-year-old son of one of them to Mr Chavez or his representatives. The rebels said last week they would hand over the two women and young child to the care of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez or his representatives.
The trio are among some 45 high-profile captives the guerrillas want to swap for some 500 rebels in Colombian jails. They are among some 45 high-profile captives the guerrillas want to swap for some 500 rebels in Colombian jails.
There are several hundred hostages being held by the guerrillas.There are several hundred hostages being held by the guerrillas.
Some are held for political leverage but many also for ransom. Some are held for political leverage but many also for ransom by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), who have been fighting the Colombian government for more than four decades.
Envoys Clara Rojas is one of those expected to be freed
The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia have been fighting the Colombian government for more than four decades.
Hugo Chavez shows possible flight routes for the operation
The guerrillas have offered to free Clara Rojas, an aide to former presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt, kidnapped in 2002, and Ms Rojas's young son Emmanuel - who was reportedly fathered by one of her guerrilla captors.The guerrillas have offered to free Clara Rojas, an aide to former presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt, kidnapped in 2002, and Ms Rojas's young son Emmanuel - who was reportedly fathered by one of her guerrilla captors.
The other hostage is former congresswoman Consuelo Gonzalez de Perdomo, who was kidnapped in 2001.The other hostage is former congresswoman Consuelo Gonzalez de Perdomo, who was kidnapped in 2001.
"We are awaiting the arrival of international envoys for this operation which will take place on Friday," Venezuela's ambassador to Colombia, Pavel Rondon, told Colombian radio. Her daughter, Patricia, said she believed other hostages would be freed in the future.
Brazilian envoy Marco Aurelio Garcia also indicated that the release was expected to happen on Friday. "This sign that Farc members are giving, it is very, very, very important because it will open the doors for the rest of the hostages, who will not return home now but they will return home one day," she said.
"We have firm hope that this will be the first step in a long process, aimed first at resolving the hostage crisis and secondly at finding a peaceful solution to the conflict that has gripped Colombia for more than 40 years," he said.
FlightsFlights
Mr Chavez has said that the first rescue helicopters will fly into Colombia on Friday afternoon (about 1930 GMT) with medical teams.
They are set to land in the central town of Villavicencio, where there is already a heavy security presence as well as dozens of journalists.
The plan is for the helicopters to fly to a meeting point that is still to be determined to collect the hostages.
The timeframe for the rescue mission is not clear, as any bad weather combined with the difficult terrain could delay operations.
The Colombian government has said Venezuela has until 2359 GMT on Sunday to carry out the mission, although Mr Chavez has said he is not aware of any time limit.
Concessions
Taking part in the handover mission will be representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross and envoys from France, Switzerland, Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Cuba, Ecuador as well as Colombia.
Mr Chavez was involved for several months in efforts to negotiate a prisoner exchange until Colombian President Alvaro Uribe ended his role in November, saying he had overstepped his mandate.Mr Chavez was involved for several months in efforts to negotiate a prisoner exchange until Colombian President Alvaro Uribe ended his role in November, saying he had overstepped his mandate.
Security has been stepped up around Villavicencio's airport
But last week the Farc rebels announced they would release three hostages to Mr Chavez or "whomever he opts to designate".But last week the Farc rebels announced they would release three hostages to Mr Chavez or "whomever he opts to designate".
On Wednesday, Mr Chavez outlined his plans at a news conference in Caracas for what he called a "humanitarian operation". The Farc rebels have never hidden their admiration for the Venezuelan president, says the BBC's Jeremy McDermott in Colombia.
Colombia gave its approval on condition that the aircraft bear the markings of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). They will be hoping that through Mr Chavez's involvement they can force the Colombian government to make concessions.
Under the plan, Venezuelan airplanes and helicopters will fly to the Colombian city of Villavicencio, which lies about an hour's flight from the Venezuelan border.
From there, helicopters will fly to a site communicated by Farc rebels to the Venezuelan authorities to collect the hostages.
Demands
The operation is backed by France, Brazil, Argentina, Ecuador, Bolivia and Cuba who are sending envoys to help oversee the operation.
Security is being stepped up in Villavicencio
"We have offered our good offices as a guarantee of neutrality for the release of the hostages and the Colombian and Venezuelan governments have asked us to participate in the mission," ICRC spokesman Marcal Izard told the AFP news agency in Geneva.
The freeing of the two women and a child would be the highest-profile hostage release since Mr Uribe first took office in 2002.
But it seems it will be Mr Chavez who will take all the credit for the hostages' release, says the BBC's Jeremy McDermott in Colombia.
In early December, Mr Uribe offered to designate a limited safe area to enable talks to take place aimed at exchanging rebel-held hostages for jailed rebels.In early December, Mr Uribe offered to designate a limited safe area to enable talks to take place aimed at exchanging rebel-held hostages for jailed rebels.
But the Farc want a larger zone in south-western Colombia to be demilitarised, a demand Mr Uribe has rejected.But the Farc want a larger zone in south-western Colombia to be demilitarised, a demand Mr Uribe has rejected.
Mr Chavez has said he hopes another group of hostages might be freed later, including Ms Betancourt, whose release French President Nicolas Sarkozy has been seeking.