U.S. defense contractors
Conn. Woman Travels To Colombia Over Hostage Standoff
Monday, September 24, 2007
BOGOTA, Colombia -- Relatives of three U.S. defense contractors being held by Colombian rebels are traveling to Venezuela to urge President Hugo Chavez to work for their loved ones' release.
The purpose of Tuesday's planned meeting in Caracas, confirmed to The Associated Press by several family members, is to assure that Americans are part of any prisoner swap that Chavez might negotiate between Colombia's government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC.
"This is the first concrete step in 4 years we've had from anyone trying to win the release of my son," said Jo Rosano, mother of Marc Gonsalves, who grew up in Connecticut.
Rosano, of Bristol, Conn., plans to travel to Caracas after joining other relatives Saturday in a meeting in Florida with a Colombian senator, Piedad Cordoba, who has served as an envoy for Chavez.
Along with Keith Stansell and Tom Howes, Gonsalves has been held by Colombia's largest rebel group since their small plane crashed in the country's southern jungles during a surveillance mission in February 2003.
Also meeting with Chavez will be Gene and Lynne Stansell, Keith's parents, who also confirmed the meeting; Mariana Howes and her old son Tommy, who was 5 when his father was captured; and Gonsalves' father, George.
The relatives are slated to meet in New York on Thursday with President Alvaro Uribe of Colombia, who with other world leaders will be attending the U.N. General Assembly.
After getting the nod last month from Uribe, Chavez has worked to facilitate a swap of 45 high-profile rebel-hold hostages, including seeking a meeting with FARC commanders as a way to jump-start talks.
Sen. Cordoba met with a top FARC leader last week who expressed a desire to meet with Chavez on Oct. 8.
Although Chavez has opened a diplomatic channel with the normally hermetic rebels, the obstacles to an eventual deal are many, beginning with the FARC's long-standing demand that all rebels in U.S. custody be released.
Following a Friday meeting in Washington, D.C., with Rep. James McGovern, D-Mass. Cordoba told journalists she hoped to meet Sunday with a FARC rebel jailed in Texas who was convicted earlier this year of cocaine trafficking. Nayibe Rojas was sentenced to 17 years.
Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
