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Paris: Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez voiced optimism about chances for a swap of prisoners for hostages held by Colombian rebels, including a former presidential candidate whose plight has captured France's attention.
"I have a lot of faith that we're going to achieve the accord," Chavez told reporters after arriving in Paris on Monday night. "It could open the way to peace in Colombia."
Chavez was to hold talks yesterday with French President Nicolas Sarkozy and the family of hostage Ingrid Betancourt, who has dual Franco-Colombian citizenship and whom Sarkozy is determined to free.
"Ingrid is alive, I'm sure of it," Chavez said.
Chavez acknowledged on Monday that he has yet to receive proof from the FARC, or Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, that the hostages are alive.
He said FARC commander Manuel Marulanda had told him to take a message to Sarkozy that Betancourt "is being treated well." "I trust in Marulanda's word," Chavez said. The Venezuelan leader said he also believes Sarkozy has an important role to play.
Meanwhile, the Colombian government set a time limit of no later than December for Chavez's efforts. By setting the deadline, President Alvaro Uribe's law-and-order government indicated a diminishing patience with what many Colombians see as a public spectacle by Venezuela's socialist president.
Prisoner swap
Chavez has been trying to broker a swap between imprisoned guerrillas and hostages held by the FARC, including Betancourt.
Posters with Betancourt's photo have adorned France's city halls and some top French musicians have performed concerts to keep her plight in the public eye.
Betancourt was running for president when she was abducted in 2002 along with her campaign manager, Clara Rojas. The last time Betancourt was seen publicly was in a video statement from 2003.
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