COLOMBIA:Colombia's weakened Marxist rebels are under increasing pressure to negotiate after their closest political ally, Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez, urged their new leader to seek talks to end a four-decade-old war.
Mr Chavez, a socialist, has pressed the EU and the US to stop labelling the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or Farc, as "terrorists" to help spur peace talks.
But on Sunday he stressed that Latin America's oldest insurgency should take the initiative and unconditionally release all its hostages.
"The time has come for the Farc to release everyone," he said in a call to the rebel leadership. "At this point in time, an armed guerrilla conflict is out of place . . . Guerrilla wars are history."
His comments were welcomed by the US government that he often rails against. "Those are certainly good words," state department spokesman Seán McCormack said yesterday. "And we would encourage Venezuela to follow those good words with concrete actions."
President Chavez's blunt appeal seized on a rare chance for talks after the announcement two weeks ago that the Farc's founder and leader, Manuel "Sureshot" Marulanda, had died and been replaced by a commander considered to be more open to dialogue. - ( Reuters)