The Church, the Colombian government and the International Red Cross participated in a meeting held December 24 to advance the liberation process for two hostages held by the FARC.
Various reunions have taken place over the last few days regarding the impending liberation of hostages Pablo Emilio Moncayo and Josue Daniel Calvo after several recent issues hindered the process.
According to Caracol Radio on Monday, one issue regards the involvement in the release operation of one of the hostages father, Professor Gustavo Moncayo.
The guerrillas have continued to demand that Professor Moncayo participate in the mission, but the government and the International Red Cross have repeatedly stressed the undesirability of families participating in such operations
Meanwhile, President Alvaro Uribe criticized the latest statement released by the FARC in which a series of demands were made to advance the release of Moncayo and Calvo. Uribe declared that the Colombian government has already met many of the FARCs demands.
With regard to the recent kidnap and murder of the governor of Caqueta, Uribe questioned “what was the response these bandits gave after the government met all their demands? Their response … was the kidnap and murder of the governor of Caqueta … these bandits are cynical, they talk as though they were archangels, they claim that the Colombian people are ignoring the fact that they have just assassinated the governor.”
Uribe insisted furthermore that the Armed Forces were doing all within their power to guarantee the release of all those in FARC captivity.
“Those thieving fools! What they need to do is release Moncayo and Calvo and all their hostages … We will carry on patiently but persistently, every day, without pause, looking to see how we can get to place where the hostages are and how to liberate them,” concluded the Head of State.