Venezuela had planes and helicopters ready on standby last night to pick up three hostages from inside Colombia as president Hugo Chávez expressed hope they would be freed by rebels by the end of today.
"The only thing we need is the authorisation of the Colombian government," Chávez said at a news conference in the presidential palace. "We are ready to activate the humanitarian operation."
He said the hostages could be freed by the end of today once the Colombians give approval for Venezuelan aircraft to cross the border.
They are former congresswoman Consuelo Gonzalez, Clara Rojas, an aide to former Colombian presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt, and Rojas's young son, Emmanuel, reportedly born of a relationship with a guerrilla fighter.
Chávez said that Venezuelan planes and helicopters - some marked with Red Cross insignia - are ready to fly into Colombia to pick up them up.
Rojas and Gonzalez have been held for more than five years by the leftist Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia.
"All we need is the authorisation from the Colombian government to turn on the green light," Chávez said. He said he hoped another group of hostages would later be freed, including Betancourt, a French-Colombian citizen.
