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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Freed hostages land in Venezuela | Freed hostages land in Venezuela |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Two women hostages freed by Colombian Farc rebels have arrived on a private jet at an airport near Caracas and have been reunited with their families. | Two women hostages freed by Colombian Farc rebels have arrived on a private jet at an airport near Caracas and have been reunited with their families. |
| Clara Rojas and Consuelo Gonzalez had been held for several years. | Clara Rojas and Consuelo Gonzalez had been held for several years. |
| Both women have thanked Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez for helping mediate their release. | Both women have thanked Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez for helping mediate their release. |
| Earlier they were flown out of the Colombian jungle by helicopter, in an operation overseen by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). | Earlier they were flown out of the Colombian jungle by helicopter, in an operation overseen by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). |
| "We are being reborn!" Clara Rojas said, as she was reunited with her elderly mother, Clara Gonzalez de Rojas, who was tearful as she hugged her daughter. | |
| Ms Gonzalez was reunited with her two daughters and also met her two year-old granddaughter for the first time. | |
| Ms Rojas has a young son, fathered by one of her captors | |
| "This is like living again," she said. "Sometimes I think it's a dream." | |
| In a brief statement Ms Gonzalez thanked Mr Chavez by satellite phone for his role in her release and praised his "commitment to human beings". | |
| Ms Gonzalez, 57, was kidnapped in 2001. Ms Rojas, 44, an aide to former Colombian presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt, was seized in 2002, while she and Ms Betancourt were out campaigning. | Ms Gonzalez, 57, was kidnapped in 2001. Ms Rojas, 44, an aide to former Colombian presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt, was seized in 2002, while she and Ms Betancourt were out campaigning. |
| Ms Rojas told Colombia's Caracol radio network she had had no news in three years of Ms Betancourt, who is still in captivity. She said they had been split up by the rebels for security reasons. | |
| A similar attempt to rescue the two women was called off last month amid recriminations between the rebels and the Colombian government. | |
| Ms Rojas has a young son, fathered by one of her captors | |
| In December, the Farc promised to release the women and Ms Rojas's three-year-old son, believed to have been fathered by one of the rebel captors. | In December, the Farc promised to release the women and Ms Rojas's three-year-old son, believed to have been fathered by one of the rebel captors. |
| But the rebels accused the Colombian government of sabotaging the hostage release by continuing military operations in the area. | But the rebels accused the Colombian government of sabotaging the hostage release by continuing military operations in the area. |
| The government said the Farc backed out of the deal because they no longer held the young boy, who was found to be living in a foster home in Bogota. | The government said the Farc backed out of the deal because they no longer held the young boy, who was found to be living in a foster home in Bogota. |
| Military operations suspended | |
| Thursday's operation came about after Mr Chavez announced that he had received the co-ordinates for a handover. | Thursday's operation came about after Mr Chavez announced that he had received the co-ordinates for a handover. |
| Military operations in three areas in the south-eastern state of Guaviare were suspended to allow the handover to take place. Defence Minister Juan Manuel Santos said his troops watched as the helicopters landed just 2km from their base. | Military operations in three areas in the south-eastern state of Guaviare were suspended to allow the handover to take place. Defence Minister Juan Manuel Santos said his troops watched as the helicopters landed just 2km from their base. |
| The BBC's Jeremy McDermott in Colombia says the hostages' release is a coup for Mr Chavez, who has shown he has influence with the Colombian rebels. | |
| ICRC helicopters flew the women to Venezuela | |
| He says the Venezuelan leader can now position himself as the mediator with the best chance of securing the release of the other 43 hostages, which the guerrillas are thought to want to exchange for hundreds of rebels in prison. | He says the Venezuelan leader can now position himself as the mediator with the best chance of securing the release of the other 43 hostages, which the guerrillas are thought to want to exchange for hundreds of rebels in prison. |
| Whilst the Colombian government officially welcomes the release of the two hostages, President Alvaro Uribe will have to reassess his position as pressure mounts on him to make concessions to the Farc, our correspondent says. | Whilst the Colombian government officially welcomes the release of the two hostages, President Alvaro Uribe will have to reassess his position as pressure mounts on him to make concessions to the Farc, our correspondent says. |
| Asked by reporters when he would meet the two women, Mr Chavez said: "Later, if it's possible, I'll greet them personally, we'll have a coffee together. But that has no importance at the moment." | |
| He said he spoke to the freed women earlier by phone and that they were emotional and in good health. | |
| "They are free. I told them both: 'Welcome to life'," he said. | "They are free. I told them both: 'Welcome to life'," he said. |