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| 'Progress made' on Farc hostages | 'Progress made' on Farc hostages |
| (1 day later) | |
| Venezuela says it has taken the first steps towards securing the release of three hostages held by Colombian Marxist rebel group, the Farc. | Venezuela says it has taken the first steps towards securing the release of three hostages held by Colombian Marxist rebel group, the Farc. |
| Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez said the deal involved three of dozens of high-profile hostages held by the Farc. | Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez said the deal involved three of dozens of high-profile hostages held by the Farc. |
| The group announced its intentions to release Orlando Beltran, Luis Eladio Perez and Gloria Polanco last week. | The group announced its intentions to release Orlando Beltran, Luis Eladio Perez and Gloria Polanco last week. |
| Mr Chavez urged the hostage's relatives to remain calm as the rebels had not yet announced a date for their release. | Mr Chavez urged the hostage's relatives to remain calm as the rebels had not yet announced a date for their release. |
| He said the information his government had was that the three, all politicians held since 2001, were in good condition. | He said the information his government had was that the three, all politicians held since 2001, were in good condition. |
| "We have already had contact with the Farc on this issue - and let's say we have been taking the first steps along this path," said Mr Chavez, referring to the planned release. | "We have already had contact with the Farc on this issue - and let's say we have been taking the first steps along this path," said Mr Chavez, referring to the planned release. |
| He did not elaborate further on the discussions his government had held with the guerrilla movement. | He did not elaborate further on the discussions his government had held with the guerrilla movement. |
| Pivotal role | Pivotal role |
| The Farc said that it would only release the hostages to Mr Chavez, despite the fact that he has been removed as an official mediator by the Colombian government. | The Farc said that it would only release the hostages to Mr Chavez, despite the fact that he has been removed as an official mediator by the Colombian government. |
| The Venezuelan president played a seemingly pivotal role in securing the release of another two Farc hostages, Clara Rojas and Consuelo Gonzalez, last month. | |
| Families campaign to keep the hostages' plight in the public eye | Families campaign to keep the hostages' plight in the public eye |
| The development comes days after hundreds of thousands of Colombians flooded the streets of Bogota protesting against the Marxist rebels. | The development comes days after hundreds of thousands of Colombians flooded the streets of Bogota protesting against the Marxist rebels. |
| Last Monday's protesters - numbering as many as two million according to some estimates - waved flags and wore T-shirts with the slogan: "No more kidnapping, no more lies, no more deaths, no more Farc." | Last Monday's protesters - numbering as many as two million according to some estimates - waved flags and wore T-shirts with the slogan: "No more kidnapping, no more lies, no more deaths, no more Farc." |
| Anti-Farc protests were also held in 100 other cities around the world as part of a campaign instigated less than a month ago by a 33-year-old Colombian engineer on the social networking website, Facebook. | Anti-Farc protests were also held in 100 other cities around the world as part of a campaign instigated less than a month ago by a 33-year-old Colombian engineer on the social networking website, Facebook. |
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