In giving Hugo Chavez all the credit for the forthcoming release of three hostages, among them Ingrid Betancourt’s colleague, Clara Rojas and her 3 year old son, Farc are putting pressure on Colombian President Alvaro Uribe, whose latest proposals they have rejected.

The Farc leadership that rules the Marxist guerrilla movement, made a spectacular gesture this Tuesday by announcing, in a statement issued in Havana, its intention to release Clara Rojas, her son Emmanuel and the parliamentarian Consuelo Gonzalez.

“The order to free them in Colombia has already been given”, Farc confirmed in a statement, also rejecting Uribe’s latest proposal to create a “ meeting zone” to negotiate the liberation of 45 hostages in exchange for 500 Farc prisoners in jail.

“With this gesture, Farc want to show that there isn’t any political will in the country to negotiate an exchange, that they can negotiate directly the freeing of hostages with Venezuela, with France, or with the US. Farc want to drive Uribe into a corner”, said Leon Valencia, President of the Institute of Political Analysis, Arc –en- Ciel.

According to this former member of the ELN(National Liberation Army),Farc also wish, through their decision to handover the three hostages to Hugo Chavez, to show that he was their preferred negotiator and that is why Uribe terminated Chavez’s mediation mandate on 22 November.

“This decision also confirms that Farc came under international pressure due to the state of the hostages’ health, especially that of French-Colombian Ingrid Betancourt. Farc know that if they don’t negotiate speedily, they risk losing their valuable negotiating card”, he believes, referring to the possibility that Ingrid might die, as she was seen in a recent video, looking physically very weak.

Fernando Giraldo, a lecturer in International Relations in the University of Javeriana, founded by the Jesuits, notes, that for the first time, Farc are reacting to international pressure.

“It is very positive because that allows them to think that they will continue and doubtless, it is now up to the government to make a gesture to show it‘s willingness to go forward. In that sense, the guerrillas have played a masterly stroke”, states Giraldo.

Farc thanked Chavez for “the huge effort he made as a mediator”.

The release of three hostages is “in progress”, said Fabrice Delloye, Ingrid Betancourt’s former husband, on Wednesday, quoting information from an emissary, that they are expected to arrive soon in Venezuela.

“It is true (….) they have left the Farc controlled zone and so they are on the move, we must wait for them”, he added on the privately funded radio station Europe1.

“I got the news personally from an emissary known to Farc and who met them recently”, stated Delloye.

The hesitant reaction from the High Commissioner for Peace in Colombia, Luis Carlos Restrepo, indicates unease in the heart of the government. “Firstly, Restrepo cast doubt on the veracity of the statement, then several hours later, was pleased at the announcement of the release of the three hostages, at the same time, he asked Hugo Chavez to take a more diplomatic approach with regard to his Colombian counterpart whom he criticised vehemently throughout the international media.

Today Chavez endeavours to speak to the international media in the same terms, as on Tuesday evening last, in Montevideo, stating that Uribe “never wanted to negotiate a peace agreement”.

“By announcing the forthcoming releases, Farc wish to show that only Chavez can obtain freedom for the hostages and that Uribe, although he conceals it due to international pressure, has always favoured the military option”, this from a European diplomat who wishes to remain anonymous.