Colombia Halts Chávez Negotiations Over Hostages

Colombia's government has abruptly halted Hugo Chávez's mediation efforts to release hostages held by rebels in Colombia's jungle, dashing the best chance in years to win their freedom.

The government said Venezuela's president had overstepped his remit in trying to broker a deal and that his services were no longer required.

The decision prompted strong protests from relatives of the hostages as well as the French government, which hoped Chávez could secure the release of Íngrid Betancourt, a high-profile prisoner with dual French and Colombian nationality.

As the leader of a self-styled socialist revolution in a neighboring country, Chávez was well placed to reach out to the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), left-wing guerrillas who have waged a bloody civil war against the Colombian state for decades.

President Alvaro Uribe gave his Venezuelan counterpart the green light in August to negotiate with the rebels and as recently as this week he credited Chavez as "the only one in the world" who could clinch a deal.

Even the US endorsed the mediation, through gritted teeth, in the hope that its South American "bogeyman" could deliver the freedom of three American contractors who are among the hostages.

But on Wednesday night Uribe made a dramatic reversal.

"The president has terminated the mediation," a statement from his office said. The reason cited was Chávez's breach of protocol in speaking directly to a Colombian military official. Earlier that day the Venezuelan leader had spoken by telephone with General Mario Montoya about the guerrillas.

The underlying reason was Uribe's exasperation with the high-profile wooing of people he considers terrorists. The rebels killed his father during a botched kidnapping, and he has no love either for the Caracas revolutionary, though pragmatism obliges both men to keep relations cordial.

The conservative Colombian president has built his reputation and popularity on tough policies aimed at crushing the Farc. canceling Chavez's initiative marked a return to that rigid approach.

Analysts were divided over whether the decision was justified but they agreed it was bad news for the hundreds of prisoners languishing in remote jungle camps, in some cases for over a decade.

"It is a sad day for the families of the hostages," Marleny Orjuela, a spokeswoman for the families of kidnapped soldiers and police officers, told Colombia's Caracol radio.

Betancourt was seized while campaigning for the presidency in 2002. The French president, Nicolas Sarkozy, who has made her release a priority, expressed concern.

"We hope that the dialog between President Uribe and President Chávez resumes," said a spokesman.