Bogotá, Feb. 27 (SP). “Fellow citizens:

We welcome Congress members Jorge Eduardo Géchem, Luis Eladio Pérez, Orlando Beltrán, Gloria Polanco de Lozada, who are free once more after having endured 6 years as hostages in some cases, 7 in others.

Congratulations to their families. We feel for those families who suffered so and are now overjoyed.

Let us remember the case of Ms. Gloria Polanco: she was kidnapped with her children. At some point she was separated from them – they were released for ransom – and while she was hostage, her husband was murdered in the Huila department.

We would like to thank President Hugo Chávez of Venezuela, the Honorable Senator Piedad Córdoba and the Government of Venezuela for their labor in this unilateral and unconditional release.

A thought for Farc: Farc should understand that the people of Colombia expect the release of all the hostages in their keep; that they should seek reconciliation at once and in good faith.

That the people of Colombia will not back down in its war against kidnappings and terrorist actions, but that they are also willing to forgive and ready to reconcile.

Colombia is struggling against kidnappings; Colombia is struggling against terrorism, not because our people are combative, but because our people have suffered and need to overcome these calamities.

We would like to thank the soldiers and police force of Colombia, our Armed Forces, the higher ranks and the Minister for their professionalism.

The location of the hostages was known, yet no military operation took place in accordance with our promise, a promise that was rigorously honored by our soldiers and police force.

There was no military operation in order to facilitate the release that became effective today. The localization on the part of the Armed Forces of the site where the hostages were kept was a humanitarian localization, the purpose of which was to help create mechanisms for the release of the hostages.

There is a relation between humanitarian localization and the humanitarian release of the hostages.

It is a joyous moment for the entire Nation, for our fellow citizens have reencountered their freedom and the happiness of their families.

This is a moment of faith in Colombia.