Venezuela frees Colombians convicted in alleged 2004 plot against Chavez

Source: Canadian Press/AP

Venezuela frees Colombians convicted in alleged 2004 plot against Chavez
1 minute ago

SAN ANTONIO, Venezuela (AP) — More than two dozen Colombian prisoners arrested three years ago in an alleged plot to assassinate President Hugo Chavez were freed Saturday after being pardoned by the Venezuelan leader.

The 27 Colombians were serving prison terms after being convicted of military rebellion. They were among more than 100 Colombians arrested in 2004 on accusations of plotting to stage a rebellion and assassinate Chavez.

Justice Minister Pedro Carreno, who shook hands with each of the prisoners at a ceremony, said that with Chavez's pardon "a beautiful message is being sent to the world."
The young men were then met by Colombian authorities and boarded a bus to take them across the nearby border to Colombia.

Chavez called the pardons a goodwill gesture that he hopes will spur an exchange of prisoners between the Colombian government and leftist rebels.

"There were people who were caressing the idea of assassinating me, and some continue to . . . and in this case (they were) fooling a group of boys," Chavez said of the young prisoners during a meeting with President Alvaro Uribe in Colombia late Friday.



Read more: http://canadianpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5hwKLgZv0glluzWugCbl7TuMu53bg

Thanks for posting this article on President Chavez's release of the young Colombians recruited to assassinate him several years ago. An article here in Venezuela reported that the young men were virtually abducted from Colombia and brought to a ranch in Venezuela by an ex-Venezuelan general who supplied them with guns and uniforms but withheld the nature of their mission.

President Chavez is currently in Colombia attempting to negotiate the release of hostages held by the FARC, who have been at war with the right wing governments for years. It is an act of great personal courage as there are many people in governments of the U.S. and Colombia, who would like to see him assassinated.

For background, everyone is encouraged to watch John Pilger's superb film: "War on Democracy" at
http://tinyurl.com/ys8rkq.

buSHIT pardoning Anyone in prison for attempting an assassination on his stupid life? They'd be dead by now.

having said that, Chevez knows they were trying to kill him and set the free. Now GWB know's who tried to kill us in 2001 but yet goes after a country and kills over a million people, americans included who have done nothing to America, who seems like the nice guy in this story......

you're enjoying yourself in Mexico.. Glad you "found" DU.

yes having a great time in mexico, left the usa when the supreme court gave bush his dictatorship.. to old to not enjoy life ......blessings

It's been the pits of hell fighting this fascism..thank the Universe and Al Gore for the internet or can you imagine at what point we'd be with the corporatemediawhores runnning the only game in town?

I'm waiting for the usual anti-Chavez crowd to show up and proclaim how this proves he's a dictator... or something...

no matter how you look at it, Chavez will never give up his power.. do good here and there doesn't change the fact this is actually what he is......My point is bush is worse lets watch what he tries to do in the next 15 months......

He's been lawfully elected, ergo he's not a dictator until he refuses to leave office. Trying to change the law to allow him to run again doesn't bypass the electoral process or make him a dictator.

cracy?

Moreover, isn't it democracy to devolve economic, political and cultural power to the people?

Leopards don't change their spots.

Chavez is a VERY clever man, he'll have some way of keeping tabs on them.

It sounds a little foolhardy to me but what the hell do I know. I hope he consulted with Fidel before he did it.

Yaas, he has a GRIP and a BOOT on everybody's throats!!!1


It's a daily bwa-ha-HAH!!1 in the San Hugo LBN!!1

people who show any lenience. Paramilitaries have often worked hand in glove with the Colombian military we learn, as the truth finally begins to make it to this country.

They've been seen as the extension of the Colombian military, handling things like massacres which the military can't afford to have laid at its doorstep. I've read of a case in which the military circled a village, and the paramilitaries went in and slaughtered everyone there. Both military and paramilitaries have been discovered dressing the bodies of massacred peansants in the clothing of the Colombian guerrillas, in order to make it appear as something different from the slaughter of innocents.

Nasty bunch. So sad they depend on having a constant supply of desperately poor people who need money so badly they will join the death squads and help them kill their fellow Colombians.

by a fascist dictator (Franco) is young Scot - or he was at the time - who decided that, as the Allies had left Franco unpunished, there was "unfinished business" he was going to see to.

Unfortunately, as he stopped at the Spanish Customs post at the border with France, the sticks of dynamite he had under his kilt had expanded, so that it looked as if he was sexually aroused, which, in turn, aroused the suspicions of the Customs officials.

He was sentenced to death (garotting is or was the chosen device in Spain) and awaited execution in a prison there. When they heard about his mad enterprise, it's said that Spanish girls were trying to break into the prison to get at him, though doubtless in the best hippie tradition, for the purposes of love rather than war.

There was an article about him in the evening paper here some years ago, with a photograph of him with two lads from London, one I think, a con man - can't remember the other's avocation. They seemed pretty chuffed to be photographed with him.

Anyway, suddenly he was released without any explanation whatsoever from anyone, and deported back to Bonnie Scotland. I suspect our own leaders in the UK were embarrassed that here was a young man sentenced to death for trying to make good what they should have done, and prevailed upon Franco accordingly.

Apparently, he had been greatly influenced by his grandma, who was a fierce leftie. I think maybe a Communist. He was still alive at the time I read the article, and probably still is. I think it might have been a review of an autobiography he'd written. It sure would make a great film, wouldn't it? I just wish I could remember his name.

I've just checked, and evidently have some of my 'facts' wrong. Google: 'scot attempt assassinate franco'

Sept. 1, 2007, 7:09PM
Colombians jailed in alleged plot against Chavez freed

By HOWARD YANES
Associated Press

SAN ANTONIO, Venezuela — More than two dozen Colombian prisoners arrested three years ago in an alleged plot against President Hugo Chavez were freed Saturday in a goodwill gesture he hopes will help facilitate a prisoner exchange in Colombia.

The 27 Colombians who boarded a bus to return home after being pardoned by Chavez were among more than 100 men arrested three years ago on accusations of plotting to stage a rebellion and assassinate the Venezuelan leader.

In a speech in Caracas, Chavez said he expects to meet soon with a high-ranking representative of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, to arrange a possible exchange of hundreds imprisoned guerrillas for about 45 prominent rebel-held hostages.

Among those being held by the rebels are three U.S. defense contractors and former presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt, a French-Colombian citizen.
(snip/...)

http://chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/5101629.html

him...and like Cuba, Venezuela is a threat cause we cannot infiltrate the inner circle and have our way with them.

Edit: why I do not click 'check spelling' 100% of the time is a mystery!

Chavez called the pardons a goodwill gesture that he hopes will spur an exchange of prisoners between the Colombian government and leftist rebels.


Venezuela's Chavez arrives to Colombia to broker hostage for rebel deal
snip
In return for releasing the hostages, the FARC is demanding that hundreds of guerrillas be freed, including two commanders serving time in the United States.
(snip)

Nevertheless, the families of the kidnapped have expressed optimism the left-leaning Chavez can mediate in a process stagnated by the mutual distrust between the conservative government and leftist rebels.

snip
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x2973598

Venezuela releases coup plotters
Sunday, 02 Sep 2007 10:19

Venezuela has released 27 Colombians who were imprisoned for plotting a failed coup against president Hugo Chavez.

The prisoners, who are suspected of belonging to a rebel movement, have been pardoned and freed a day after the president said he would help the Colombian government in its negotiations with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc) rebels.

Venezuela's justice minister praised the president's move to forgive and free the convicted plotters and said that "a beautiful message" had been sent to the world through the gesture.

Yesterday, Mr Chavez extended an invitation to meet with Farc, a Marxist rebel group, for talks in his own country in a bid to boost hostage negotiations between Colombia's government and the guerrilla group.

Mr Chavez, a stern critic of the United States' influence in the region, announced the plan after talks with Colombian president Alvaro Uribe.
(snip/...)

http://www.inthenews.co.uk/news/autocodes/autocodes/venezuela/venezuela-releases-coup-plotters-$1129487.htm