Venezuela Readies to Receive Hostages

The FARC has offered to release 46 high-profile hostages, including Betancourt and three U.S. defense contractors, in return for the release of hundreds of rebels held in Colombian and U.S. prisons.

Chavez was trying to negotiate such a swap before President Alvaro Uribe called him off last month, saying Chavez overstepped his mandate by directly contacting the head of Colombia's army. Chavez has since frozen relations with the U.S.-allied Uribe.

While the news of the FARC's decision to free three hostages has been greeted by relatives as a major breakthrough, the FARC's chief spokesman, Raul Reyes, suggested on a rebel Web site Thursday that it might take a new government to reach an agreement.

"The immediate resignation of Uribe and his entire government would guarantee the freeing of the prisoners alive," Reyes said, apparently referring to a wider hostages-for-prisoners swap.