Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez will negotiate on behalf of the Colombian government with leftist rebels holding dozens of hostages, Colombian President Alvaro Uribe announced Friday. "Never before have we gotten a green light to act directly," Chavez said. "I thank the president and FARC, which have said they are disposed to meet in Venezuela with me." He added, "I hope it ends positively." A representative of Colombia's largest Marxist rebel group -- the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, known by the Spanish acronym FARC -- would travel to Caracas, Venezuela, to meet with Chavez, the presidents was quoted as saying by CNN. Uribe and Chavez met in Hato Grande, Colombia, to discuss plans for the negotiations, which could lead to an exchange of rebel prisoners held by the government for hostages held by FARC. The hard-line Uribe said Chavez's help was welcome if it could lead to a release of the hostages, who include French-Colombian politician Ingrid Betancourt and three American contractors.
