Colombia says FARC rebel chief dead

“In a potentially major breakthrough, just after Colombia confirmed the death of FARC leader Manuel Marulanda, Uribe said "the government has received calls from the FARC in which some of the leaders announced their decision to leave the FARC and hand over Ingrid Betancourt if their freedom is guaranteed.”
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(May 25, Colombia, Sri Lanka Guardian) Colombia made bombshell announcements on Saturday that the leader of Latin America's longest-running insurgency was dead.

And some of its leaders were ready to free high-profile hostages such as French-Colombian politician Ingrid Betancourt.

President Alvaro Uribe said he had received "calls" from some Marxist FARC rebel leaders who claimed they were ready to hand themselves over and free hostages including Betancourt.

In a potentially major breakthrough, just after Colombia confirmed the death of FARC leader Manuel Marulanda, Uribe said "the government has received calls from the FARC in which some of the leaders announced their decision to leave the FARC and hand over Ingrid Betancourt if their freedom is guaranteed.

"The government's answer is 'yes, they are guaranteed freedom'" if they handed over hostages, Uribe said.

In a speech carried live on national television, Uribe said those leaders of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) who free the captives could be turned over to authorities from "France, so that they enjoy that freedom there."

The president also touted the government's offer to reward rebels up to a total of USD 100 million when they turn themselves in alongside one or more hostages.

Uribe spoke from the town of Florida, in a 2,050-square-kilometre zone in the southwest which the FARC has asked to be demilitarised in order to negotiate a swap of high-profile hostages for jailed guerrillas.
- Sri Lanka Guardian