FARC hostage asks Chávez for political refuge

[Judi Lynn]

Caracas, Monday June 23 , 2008
FARC hostage asks Chávez for political refuge

Sigifredo López, a hostage held by the Colombian Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARC), asked Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez in a proof of life forwarded last weekend to take him in as political refugee while his release is materialized, reported on Monday his wife Patricia Nieto.

"In this last proof, he requested political refuge in Venezuela and I am going to deal with it; there is the need to do it; it is a family commitment," said the politician's wife. López is the only survivor of a group of 12 ex Colombian deputies killed in captivity last year.

López was kidnapped six years ago. He made the petition in a video recorded on March 30th and delivered last Saturday by the guerrilla to the Catholic Church, reported AFP.

Nieto told local radio stations that the leader views his proposal as his "only possibility of freedom," and promised to submit it to the Venezuelan government.

"Together with a group of friends, we will work on this application for political refuge in Venezuela," she said.


http://english.eluniversal.com/2008/06/23/en_int_art_farc-hostage-asks-ch_23A1712725.shtml

[Judi Lynn]

1. Colombian rebels release proof-of-life video of hostage lawmaker

Colombian rebels release proof-of-life video of hostage lawmaker
2 days ago

BOGOTA, Colombia — Colombian rebels released a proof-of-life video Saturday of a 44-year-old regional lawmaker who was kidnapped six years ago in the western city of Cali.

The video of Sigifredo Lopez was delivered to a commission that includes the Roman Catholic Church, Cali's mayor and the public ombudsman's office, according to Lopez's wife, Patricia Nieto.

It's the first proof-of-life documentation of a hostage that the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, has provided since February.

That's when the group released four Colombian politicians with the help of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.

"He calls for the kidnapped not to be forgotten and reiterates that it's necessary to keep working to secure a prisoner swap," Nieto told The Associated Press.

The FARC wants President Alvaro Uribe to demilitarize a New York City-size swath of southwestern Colombia to facilitate talks that could lead to the release of all its hostages.

They include three U.S. military contractors seized in February 2003 and Ingrid Betancourt, a dual French-Colombian citizen who was running for president when rebels kidnapped her in 2002.

Uribe and the rebels have failed to agree on conditions.

More:
http://canadianpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5jqS1K46HModZSLD9SMiD3j0-9CRg





image of Sigifredo Lopez from the released video

[EFerrari]

2. Btw, yesterday Amy aired a clip, filmed in Nicaragua, of Daniel Ortega

hosting the three Mexican students that survived the Colombian attack on Ecuador. Ortega said that while Uribe claims he's fighting terrorists, he himself is the terrorist. One of the three young women said she'd continue to work to see Uribe brought to justice.