Three hostages being held by Colombian Marxist guerrillas are to be released to Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez after Bogota ended the leftist leader's efforts to secure a deal to free rebel captives.
The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, known as the FARC, said it had ordered Colombians Clara Rojas, her son Emmanuel and Consuelo Gonzalez handed over to President Chavez.
The news was welcomed by families of victims but it puts pressure on President Alvaro Uribe after he halted Mr Chavez's mediation with Latin America's oldest insurgency over hostages including a French-Colombian politician and three Americans.
