Outgoing French President Jacques Chirac asked his Venezuelan counterpart Hugo Chavez on Friday to help secure the release of one-time Colombian presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt, Chirac's spokesman said.

Betancourt — who holds dual Colombian-French citizenship — and campaign manager Clara Rojas, were captured by Colombia's main rebel group, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, in February 2002, while Betancourt was campaigning for the presidency in southern Colombia.

Chirac's spokesman Jerome Bonnafont said the French leader asked Chavez to "continue to take all possible initiatives to lead to a happy and peaceful outcome" of the situation. In a telephone conversation Friday, Chirac also asked Chavez to work towards a humanitarian accord that would allow for Betancourt's release.

The FARC, Latin America's largest rebel group, wants to exchange 500 imprisoned rebels for 60 hostages, including Betancourt.

Betancourt's family has pleaded for a negotiated prisoner swap — an initiative France supports.

During a visit to Paris in 2005, Chavez offered to help lobby for Betancourt's release. The Venezuelan leader, a close ally of Cuba's Fidel Castro, has said he hopes an agreement can be reached for Betancourt to return to her family.