This article offers a Colombian view on the hostage release now underway. The notable exchange involves seven countries, including France and Switzerland. If for nothing other than politics, the deal appears to show a significant realignment of regional interests along the “Chávez” way, the showman of this latest Latin maneuver. We’ll have to wait and see how things turn out…
El Colombiano, from Medellín, Colombia
http://www.elcolombiano.com.co/BancoConocimiento/O/olac_chavez_llego_a_tachira_liberacion_clara_lcg_28122007/olac_chavez_llego_a_tachira_liberacion_clara_lcg_28122007.asp?CodSeccion=53
Clara, Emmanuel and Consuelo Very Close to Freedom
Santo Domingo, Venezuela
5:00 PM Central Standard Time
This Friday the operation to retrieve three hostages, who will be released by the FARC, got under way with the departure of two helicopters to Colombia, leaving from the Santo Domingo airport in the Venezuelan state of Táchira.
“The operation began with those two helicopters (…) and we’re able to say this was the first phase, to approach the objective. The second is the rescue” of the three hostages held by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), declared Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez after the airships departed.
The two MI-17 helicopters, however, left without the seven presidential emissaries. Caracas claims this was to guarantee “the security and transparency” of the humanitarian operation. The helicopters were painted black and orange with the symbol of the International Red Cross.
“We hope by tomorrow we’ll be able to complete the mission” and begin the search for the three hostages in the Colombian jungle. The FARC announced their release last week, said Chávez. This will be the release of ex-vice-presidential candidate Clara Rojas, her son Emmanuel, born in captivity, and ex-congresswoman Consuelo González de Perdomo.
Details
In military uniform, Chávez dispatched the Russian-designed airships, heading from the Major Buenaventura Vivas Guerrero Airbase, near the Colombian border, toward Villavicencio [Colombia].
A few minutes later, the president announced the two helicopters had crossed into Colombian territory. This was the first phase of the undertaking renamed “Operation Emmanuel” by Caracas, even though initially entitled “Operation Transparency.”
Chávez stated the guerrilla group still has not given the exact location where helicopters will retrieve the three hostages because, according to Chávez, there are difficulties with “communications.” Due to this, emissaries from Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Cuba, Ecuador, France and Switzerland will be brought to Villavicencio when the coordinates are known.
Traveling with the international delegates will be the coordinator of the operation, former Minister of the Interior Ramón Rodríguez Chacín, as well as the High Commissioner of La Paz, Luis Carlos Restrepo, both representing Colombia.
Good weather
“The only remaining part is to ask God for good weather so the operation will run smoothly and successfully,” requested President Hugo Chávez while presenting his “formula” for freeing Clara Rojas, her son Emmanuel and the former congresswoman Consuelo González de Perdomo. Chávez gave the presentation last Wednesday in the Miraflores Palace.
As if God had been listening, fair weather accompanied the departure of the two MI-17 helicopters. These airships carried the symbol of the Red Cross when they departed west for Villavicencio, their first stop.
There is hope that today and tomorrow the eastern Colombian skies will bless the humanitarian effort. At the least the Institute of Hydrology, Meteorology and Environmental Studies (IDEAM) anticipates a dry spell for the region in this last weekend of the year.
According to the IDEAM, the sky will remain partially cloudy in the north and central Orinoquía [eastern region of Colombia] with rains in the northeast region of Vichada, in Guainía [southern part of Orinoquía] in Arauca [northern part of Orinoquía] and in the southern part of Colombia, east of the Amazon.
With this report, the aerial caravan will cross into the eastern regions of the Colombian jungle, toward where the three hostages, held by FARC guerrillas, are presumed to be waiting.
El Colombiano, from Medellín, Colombia
http://www.elcolombiano.com.co/BancoConocimiento/O/olac_chavez_llego_a_tachira_liberacion_clara_lcg_28122007/olac_chavez_llego_a_tachira_liberacion_clara_lcg_28122007.asp?CodSeccion=53
Clara, Emmanuel and Consuelo Very Close to Freedom
Santo Domingo, Venezuela
5:00 PM Central Standard Time
This Friday the operation to retrieve three hostages, who will be released by the FARC, got under way with the departure of two helicopters to Colombia, leaving from the Santo Domingo airport in the Venezuelan state of Táchira.
“The operation began with those two helicopters (…) and we’re able to say this was the first phase, to approach the objective. The second is the rescue” of the three hostages held by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), declared Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez after the airships departed.
The two MI-17 helicopters, however, left without the seven presidential emissaries. Caracas claims this was to guarantee “the security and transparency” of the humanitarian operation. The helicopters were painted black and orange with the symbol of the International Red Cross.
“We hope by tomorrow we’ll be able to complete the mission” and begin the search for the three hostages in the Colombian jungle. The FARC announced their release last week, said Chávez. This will be the release of ex-vice-presidential candidate Clara Rojas, her son Emmanuel, born in captivity, and ex-congresswoman Consuelo González de Perdomo.
Details
In military uniform, Chávez dispatched the Russian-designed airships, heading from the Major Buenaventura Vivas Guerrero Airbase, near the Colombian border, toward Villavicencio [Colombia].
A few minutes later, the president announced the two helicopters had crossed into Colombian territory. This was the first phase of the undertaking renamed “Operation Emmanuel” by Caracas, even though initially entitled “Operation Transparency.”
Chávez stated the guerrilla group still has not given the exact location where helicopters will retrieve the three hostages because, according to Chávez, there are difficulties with “communications.” Due to this, emissaries from Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Cuba, Ecuador, France and Switzerland will be brought to Villavicencio when the coordinates are known.
Traveling with the international delegates will be the coordinator of the operation, former Minister of the Interior Ramón Rodríguez Chacín, as well as the High Commissioner of La Paz, Luis Carlos Restrepo, both representing Colombia.
Good weather
“The only remaining part is to ask God for good weather so the operation will run smoothly and successfully,” requested President Hugo Chávez while presenting his “formula” for freeing Clara Rojas, her son Emmanuel and the former congresswoman Consuelo González de Perdomo. Chávez gave the presentation last Wednesday in the Miraflores Palace.
As if God had been listening, fair weather accompanied the departure of the two MI-17 helicopters. These airships carried the symbol of the Red Cross when they departed west for Villavicencio, their first stop.
There is hope that today and tomorrow the eastern Colombian skies will bless the humanitarian effort. At the least the Institute of Hydrology, Meteorology and Environmental Studies (IDEAM) anticipates a dry spell for the region in this last weekend of the year.
According to the IDEAM, the sky will remain partially cloudy in the north and central Orinoquía [eastern region of Colombia] with rains in the northeast region of Vichada, in Guainía [southern part of Orinoquía] in Arauca [northern part of Orinoquía] and in the southern part of Colombia, east of the Amazon.
With this report, the aerial caravan will cross into the eastern regions of the Colombian jungle, toward where the three hostages, held by FARC guerrillas, are presumed to be waiting.
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