Venezuela Chavez Congratulates Uribe On Hostage Rescue

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez congratulated Colombian counterpart Alvaro Uribe for the rescue operation that freed Ingrid Betancourt and 14 other hostages held by the Revolutionary Armed Forces Of Colombia, or FARC - the latest twist in a sometimes bitter political rivalry over how to win the freedom of FARC hostages. 'I called Uribe last night and I congratulated him,' Chavez said Thursday on comments broadcast by the state news channel. 'We are extremely happy for the freedom of the hostages,' he added. In an official statement, the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry said that it 'shared the happiness' over the freedom of Betancourt and the other hostages. Bolivian President Evo Morales, a close ally of Chavez, also welcomed the hostages' freedom and said that he hopes it will help in the search 'for peace between the Colombian government and FARC.' Chavez and Uribe have been entangled in a feud involving the FARC and the release of the hostages. Chavez tried to push for a negotiated release of the hostages, while Colombia insisted that it couldn't comply with some of the FARC's demands, such as a demilitarized zone roughly the size of Switzerland.