Colombian Defense Minister Juan Carlos Pinzon has confirmed the Colombian government made first contact with Brazil about assisting in the release of hostages currently held by the FARC, reported El Espectador Tuesday.
The news comes on the same day that the Brazilian government denied reports they had been approached by members of the administration of Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos.
According to Pinzon, Colombia’s Deputy Defense Minister Jorge Enrique Bedoya made contact with members of the administration of Brazilian President Dilma Rouself to facilitate the delivery of six hostages due to be released in the coming days.
The six hostages, Luis Alfonso Beltran, Cesar Augusto Laso, Carlos Jose Duarte, Jorge Trujillo, Jorge Humberto Romero y Jose Libardo Forero, are part of a group of 11 who have been held in captivity for over 12 years.
The FARC originally released a statement in December, declaring that they would release the hostages in January. That release was delayed when the FARC accused the Colombian government of militarizing the hand-over region , suspecting an attempt to free the hostages by force.
Brazilian Embassy spokesman Herman Cruz told Colombia Reports that the Brazilian government currently has no comment to make about Pinzon’s statement and that the only information which can be provided can be accessed on official Youtube page of the Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Relations.
