Venezuelan President, Hugo Chávez, has called on Latin America and the European Union to remove the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and the National Liberation Army (ELN) from their lists of terrorist organizations.
“The FARC and ELN are not terrorist groups; they are armies, real armies … They are insurgent forces that have a Bolivarian and political project that is respected here,” Chávez said.
The call follows Chávez’s successful negotiation of the release of two hostages held by the FARC for nearly six years. One of the hostages, Clara Rojas, said that the guerrillas delivered proof to the Venezuelan authorities that the other eight high-profile hostages who were kidnapped with her are still alive.
Chávez has indicated he intends to negotiate the release of additional hostages.
