Families call on FARC to keep word and release hostages

Worried families of the two hostages who the FARC failed to release on Sunday called on the rebel group to keep its word and free their loved ones as promised.

“Very respectfully we ask the FARC, [their leader] Alfonso Cano, to keep their word. The situation the soldiers are in must be very difficult; suffering to achieve freedom,” Marleny Orjuela, who is acting as spokesperson for the families, told Caracol Radio.

The spokesperson wants the FARC to speak out on what happened and to release new coordinates for an operation to pick up Salin Sanmiguel and Guillermo Solorzano.

Orjuela thanked President Juan Manuel Santos for not closing the door to the release of the two soldiers, saying their families’ situation is critical.

“We are very concerned. The pain over the absence of [the hostages] is already enough to add this situation of distress,” the spokesperson said.

Santos on Monday suspended the release operation indefinitely and demanded absolute clarity on the conditions of the release from the FARC before the government takes a decision on restarting the release operations. The army has resumed military operations in the area where the hostages were supposed to be delivered.

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