Brazilian helicopters in place for FARC hostage release

[Judi Lynn]

Brazilian helicopters in place for FARC hostage release
Wednesday, 17 March 2010 12:08
Camilla Pease-Watkin

Commander of the Colombian armed forces, General Freddy Padilla, announced Wednesday that everything is ready for the release of FARC hostages Pablo Emilio Moncayo and Josue Daniel Calvo and that all that remains is for the "FARC to come forward," reported Colombian media.

According to EFE, the high commissioner for peace in Colombia, Frank Pearl, added that the Brazilian air force has already positioned helicopters on the border between the two countries and are awaiting "accurate information" on the exact location of the operation.

Padilla also indicated that the national army is prepared with a Plan B, to deal with potential emergency situations during the hand-over process.

"When they make the announcement the clock will start counting 36 hours, which should be sufficient, counting delays due to weather conditions," said the army commander.

http://colombiareports.com/colombia-news/news/8743-brazilian-helicopters-in-place-for-farc-hostage-release.html

[naaman fletcher]

1. Judi, please explain:

The Moncayo's are leftists. From Wiki:

1. Gustavo Guillermo Moncayo Rincón, popularly known as "'El caminante por la paz", (born on November 29, 1952 in Santiago, Putumayo<1>) is a Colombian teacher who decided to undertake a walk of 1,186 km from his hometown Sandoná, in the department of Nariño in the south of Colombia to the capital city Bogotá, seeking to promote an agreement for the release of his son Pablo Emilio who has been a prisoner of the guerrilla group FARC since 1997.<2> His walk has been compared to the one done by the fictional character "Forrest Gump" in the Forrest Gump film.<3>

2. According to the Washington Post, Fernando Londoño, a far-rightist former Interior Minister, criticized Moncayo in an opinion column for El Tiempo, the country's main daily. He accused Moncayo's son Pablo Emilio of being an "incompetent soldier" and wrote that his father was spreading "Marxist venom through Colombia's veins".<10>

Why would FARC hold such a man hostage if they are true fighters for the people? Why would Chavez support them?

Absent an explanation, wouldn't one have to conclude that FARC is just a bunch of terrorists out for money and that their political aims are just a front to get coffee-shop revolutionaries to support them?