[Cincinatus' Wife]

U.S. offering reward for FARC hostages – Americans held*** BOGOTA, Colombia -- The United States is offering Colombians $300,000, a U.S. visa and a new life in America for information leading to the rescue of three U.S. military contractors captured by rebels last month. Authorities Tuesday began distributing color fliers outlining the offer, complete with pictures of a jetliner, a visa application and a clean, modern metropolis lying along azure waters -- presumably an American city.

The Americans were captured by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia -- known as the FARC -- Feb. 13 after their U.S. government plane went down in rebel territory during an intelligence mission. A fourth American and a Colombian on the plane were killed near the scene. The U.S. State Department years ago classified the FARC as a terrorist group, but the U.S. Embassy denied that the offer of the money -- equal to more than a lifetime's pay for many Colombians -- and the hard-to-get U.S. visa is tantamount to negotiating with terrorists. ***

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Terrorism: "Exchangeable prisoners are in Venezuela" - A testimony of FARC presence in Venezuela***So, they wanted to go to Venezuela because they felt safer on that side of the frontier than on this one, since the Colombian Army -in respect of the Venezuelan sovereignty- does not cross the border. Once, a guerrilla told me that he had returned in December from training in Venezuelan territory. In view of my surprise, he said: "The front has camps on that side of the border. Besides, the commander and his group remain there." Then, I dared to make another question: How far are we from the camp in the Venezuelan territory? "About 40 or 70 days, depending on the circumstances," he answered. So, it is deep inside that country, I said. "Yes, well inward," he said.

When we spoke about famous exchangeable prisoners (political, military, police and governmental dignitaries that have been kidnapped and that, according to the guerrilla, could be exchanged by FARC captives), one of the guerrilla told me: "You should be grateful for not being one of those exchangeable people, because if you were, we would have taken you with them already." And where are they? I asked. "On that side of the frontier."

I told him how could it be possible that such as honest person like former presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt, known also by her fight against corruption, remains kidnapped. He answered that she was a big shot that would be released only when an exchange law is passed. They never said the exact location of the exchangeable prisoners. But we can presume that the place should be between Venezuelan Zulia and Táchira states. Once, they said that it is possible to go to the Venezuelan zone called Machiques through Sabana Rubia, in Colombian Codazzi municipality. ***