MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Chavez calls on FARC to end armed struggle and release hostages

Pte. Chavez sends strong message to the leaders of FARC

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez urged Colombian FARC rebels on Sunday to lay down their weapons and unilaterally free dozens of hostages ending to a decades-long armed struggle against Colombia's government.

The surprisingly strong message to the leaders of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) added that their ongoing efforts to overthrow Colombia's democratically elected government were unjustified and only favors the empire's (United States) intervention objectives. "The guerrilla warfare is history" said Chavez adding that "at this moment in Latinamerica, an armed guerrilla movement is out of place". Addressing the new FARC leader Alfonso Cano, Chavez said "I think the time has come to free all of the hostages you have. It would be a great, humanitarian gesture. And the release in exchange for nothing". FARC guerrillas, who are mostly funded with the cocaine business, have said they would be willing to release hostages in exchange for imprisoned guerrillas in Colombia and those extradited to the United States. However in spite of Chavez appeal during his weekly television and radio program "Hello President", FARC posted Sunday on a sympathetic Web site a statement saying the group was far from considering laying down its arms. Written by rebel leader Luciano Marin Arango, alias Ivan Marquez, and dated June 5, the statement demanded that new elections be called to oust Colombia's government and Congress. FARC "strategic objective is the taking of power for the people" the statement underlined said. Marquez also claimed that Colombian President Alvaro Uribe is overseeing plans to kill Chavez and leftist Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa. "You in the FARC should know something: You have become an excuse for the empire to threaten all of us" said Chavez in his program. "The day that peace arrives in Colombia, the empire will have no excuses". The Venezuelan leader's comments could help improve diplomatic relations with Colombia, which have been strained for months due to Colombia's allegations that Chavez could be aiding the FARC. Chavez repeatedly has denied secretly supporting the FARC, saying his government's contacts with the guerrillas have been aimed only at securing the release of rebel-held hostages. However Chavez has lobbied strongly before the European Union to have FARC erased from the list of "terrorist organizations" and has praised the rebels efforts to oust the "Colombian oligarchy". Meanwhile, Colombia's chief prosecutor said a Venezuelan National Guard officer and a second Venezuelan were among four people arrested while carrying tens of thousands of Kalashnikov rounds that Colombian authorities believe were destined for the FARC. The Kalashnikov is the FARC standard-issue weapon. Two of the men had Venezuelan identity papers and one claimed to be a sergeant in the National Guard, prosecutor Mario Iguaran said in a statement Friday. The four were captured in eastern Colombia, close to the porous border with Venezuela. Chavez Sunday's message coincided with the presentation of his party's candidates for governors and mayors in by elections later this year when the opposition is forecasted to have great chances of advancing given the several serious problems Venezuelans are facing in spite of booming oil prices. Food shortages, inflation, corruption, insecurity are among the long list of grievances the Bolivarian revolution has so far been unable to tackle plus reiterated plans to trim civil liberties insisting on the idea of a single party system which was overwhelmingly rejected by the Venezuelan electorate last December. Mr. Chavez needs to recover the image of a middle road, non radical leader if he is to woo back the Venezuelan middle class that once approved of him.