living at the ranch of Roberto Alonso, violent militant Cuban-Venezuelan anti-Chavez activist, next door to Gustavo Cisneros, media mogul, coup plotter, friend of
George H. W. Bush, (whom he met for a vacation at the resort owned by Cuban "exile" sugar barons, Alfie and Pepe Fanjul, in the Dominican Repaublic, immediately AFTER the coup was overturned by the people of Venezuela) Hugo Chavez actually turned them loose, giving a public speech and telling Venezuelans something like the men weren't the ones who concocted the plot, and he was letting them go home.
Here's a small look at the material which was published at the time:
Venezuela's Chavez pardons Colombian prisoners accused in plot
The Associated Press
Published: August 30, 2007
CARACAS, Venezuela: President Hugo Chavez on Thursday pardoned dozens of Colombians imprisoned in Venezuela on charges of involvement in an alleged 2004 plot against his government.
The order to free the 41 prisoners took effect with its publication in the government's official gazette that dismissed their convictions on charges of military rebellion.
Chavez announced his decision to free the prisoners last week as a goodwill gesture as he tries to help broker an unrelated prisoner and hostage exchange between Colombia's government and leftist rebels.
In May 2004, 118 Colombians were arrested at a ranch outside Caracas. Authorities said they were wearing Venezuelan military uniforms and were suspected of belonging to paramilitary group that was plotting to create chaos in the country and assassinate Chavez.
More:
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/08/30/america/LA-GEN-Venezuela-Colombia.php~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Venezuela frees Colombian prisoners
By Howard Yanes, Associated Press Writer
SAN ANTONIO, Venezuela — More than two dozen Colombian prisoners arrested three years ago in an alleged plot against President Hugo Chavez were freed Saturday in a goodwill gesture he hopes will help facilitate a prisoner exchange in Colombia.
The 27 Colombians who boarded a bus to return home after being pardoned by Chavez were among more than 100 men arrested three years ago on accusations of plotting to stage a rebellion and assassinate the Venezuelan leader.
In a speech in Caracas, Chavez said he expects to meet soon with a high-ranking representative of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, to arrange a possible exchange of hundreds imprisoned guerrillas for about 45 prominent rebel-held hostages.
Among those being held by the rebels are three U.S. defense contractors and former presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt, a French-Colombian citizen.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/topstories/2007-09-01-434845792_x.htm~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~You'd never know this had ever happened by recalling Colombia's President's recent behavior!
Uribe admits anti-Chavez plot planned in Colombia
AFP, SANTA MARTA, COLOMBIA
Monday, Dec 19, 2005, Page 7
Venezuelan former soldiers plotted against President Hugo Chavez's government at a Colombian military building, Colombian President Alvaro Uribe said.
Uribe made the stunning disclosure on Saturday at the Caribbean resort town of Santa Marta where he is meeting with Chavez, and after analyzing documents furnished by Chavez.
"The Venezuelan soldiers who are in Bogota went to a building to meet with members of the Colombian military. President Chavez gave us these documents ... we analyzed them and this morning I said to President Chavez: `I must tell you the truth: this is a building of Colombia's public forces,'" he said.
Uribe said that intelligence efforts against the Venezuelan government are conducted in the building, and took full responsibility for the affair.
The two presidents met for six hours amid a climate of unusual goodwill on Saturday to discuss the purported Bogota-based conspiracy against the Venezuelan president, which Chavez first disclosed to his Colombian counterpart during a meeting in Venezuela on Nov. 24.
Seven Venezuelans involved in a 48-hour coup against Chavez in April 2002 have been linked to the new plot. Businessman Pedro Carmona, leader of the failed military-civilian coup, enjoys political asylum in Colombia, where he is working as a university professor.
Uribe refused asylum to six Venezuelan soldiers involved in the coup but gave them permission to live in Colombia while they look for safe haven in another country.
He said on Saturday that he takes responsibility for the events.
More:
http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/world/archives/2005/12/19/2003285082