CHAVEZ MEETS WITH FAMILIES OF AMERICAN CITIZEN

C O N F I D E N T I A L CARACAS 001914 SIPDIS SIPDIS HQSOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/27/2017 TAGS: PREL PTER PHUM CO VE SUBJECT: CHAVEZ MEETS WITH FAMILIES OF AMERICAN CITIZEN FARC HOSTAGES REF: CARACAS 001903 Classified By: POLITICAL COUNSELOR ROBERT RICHARD DOWNES, REASON 1.4 (D) ¶1. (SBU) President Chavez met with the family members of Amcit FARC hostages Keith Stansell, Thomas Howes, and Marc Gonsalves the evening of September 25. Paloma Diaz, the sister of FARC prisoner in Colombia, and Yolanda Pulecio, mother of Colombian/French hostage Ingrid Betancourt, were also present. Chavez received the family members at his official Miraflores residence, the same place he received the family members of Colombian FARC hostages several days earlier. Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro and National Assembly President Cilia Flores accompanied the Venezuelan president. Colombian Senator Piedad Cordoba also attended the meeting and presented Chavez with another letter from the FARC in which Raul Reyes reportedly expresses appreciation for Chavez' ongoing mediation efforts. ¶2. (SBU) Government-owned Venezolana de Television and government-funded regional broadcaster Telesur covered Chavez' prime time meeting with the family members live. Chavez reviewed for the family members his interest in mediating a release of FARC hostages in exchange for the release of FARC prisoners. He told them he needed the unspecified help of President Bush (Note: Two FARC members, "Simon Trinidad" and "Sonia" are serving sentences in the United States on terrorism and drug charges). Representatives of the family members thanked Chavez for his mediation efforts and stressed that they hoped they would see their loved ones again soon. Senator Cordoba announced that the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV) will help organize rallies in support of a "humanitarian exchange" with the FARC in Caracas, New York, Bogota, Paris, and a still to be specified Brazilian city. ¶3. (C) Comment: The meeting of the family members of Amcit FARC hostages was supposed to take place only hours after their early morning September 25 meeting with the Ambassador (Reftel). Chavez appears to have delayed the meeting until evening in order to garner a larger television audience. Meanwhile, Venezuelan family members of FARC hostages are publicly demanding a meeting with the Venezuelan president. Chavez, however, said he makes a distinction between FARC's "political" hostages and the Venezuelans the FARC holds for ransom. End Comment. DUDDY