Colombia’s president Alvaro Uribe has officially pulled the plug on Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez’s mediation efforts with FARC rebels. Chavez was in the process of brokering the release of 45 hostages, including once Colombian presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt, in exchange for the release of 500 imprisoned guerrillas. Apparently, Chavez, never one to play by the rules, went against an order forbidding direct contact with Colombia’s army chief.

There were also concerns with a lack of proof of any of the hostages being alive, a condition of the exchange.

Relatives of hostages were none to happy to hear about the dialogue being closed, as it was their only hope. Many went to the presidential palace in Bogota yesterday to protest the decision. France’s President Nicolas Sarkozy, also expressed his displeasure with the decision, urging President Uribe to reconsider and resume the negotiations.

Via / BBC News