FREED HOSTAGES IN COLOMBIA

Four hostages freed by Colombian rebels after six years in captivity appealed to President Hugo Chavez to press for the freedom of the remaining captives. It was the second such release this year by the leftist rebels, who are seeking to put pressure on Colombia's U.S.-allied government and persuade the international community to strike them from lists of terrorist groups.

Upon the hostages' return, the Venezuelan president made a direct plea to the rebels' commander for the release of Ingrid Betancourt, one of the most high profile of those still in captivity.

The 4 ex-lawmakers were reunited with relatives amid tears, hugs and grasped flowers at Caracas' international airport.

Then Chavez welcomed them to the presidential palace, where hostage Gloria Polanco made a passionate plea for the Venezuelan leader to help win the release of Betancourt, a dual French-Colombian citizen who has become a cause celebre in Europe.

"As a woman and a mother, I ask from my heart here in front of everyone that you fight to get Ingrid free as soon as possible," Polanco implored. "She is very ill, president, very ill. She has recurrent hepatitis B and is near the end."

Chavez turned to TV cameras recording the meeting and asked the rebel leader Manuel Marulanda, "from my heart to change Ingrid's location. Move her to a base closer to you, while we continue working to pave the way for her definitive release." Chavez called Betancourt's case "urgent."

Former Sen. Luis Eladio Perez, another released hostage, later said that Betancourt's treatment had been "merciless."

The FARC has proposed trading some 40 high-value captives — including Betancourt and three U.S. defense contractors — for hundreds of imprisoned guerrillas.

The FARC has been fighting for more than four decades for a more equitable distribution of wealth in Colombia, but has in recent years drawn wide reproach for its methods: It kidnaps civilians for ransom and funds itself largely through cocaine trafficking. Colombia's government says it holds more than 700 people, either for ransom or political reasons.

Colombian President Alvaro Uribe, who has tense relations with Chavez, thanked the socialist leader and called for the release of all hostages.

Chavez said he hopes the hostage release will open the way for a peace process. His government dubbed Wednesday's mission "Operation Path to Peace

Venezuela dispatched two helicopters to Colombia's southern jungles, where the rebels turned over the four captives in the same region where they released two others on Jan. 10: Clara Rojas and Consuelo Gonzalez.

The operation was overseen by the International Committee of the Red Cross, and the rebels turned over the four to Venezuela's interior minister, Ramon Rodriguez Chacin, and Colombian Sen. Piedad Cordoba, a close Chavez collaborator.

Once the four landed in Caracas to emotional family reunions, they focused on calling for a quick effort to free more captives. Polanco's three grown sons ran toward the plane, wearing T-shirts reading: "Freedom for all."

On top of tropical ailments, the three U.S. military contractors held by Colombian rebels still suffer injuries from the plane crash five years ago that landed them in guerrilla hands, said a fellow hostage released Wednesday. The 3 also were badly shaken by the 60-year prison sentence a U.S. judge slapped on a Colombian rebel last month after a jury convicted him in connection with their Feb. 13, 2003 capture, said former Sen. Luis Eladio Perez. Perez said he spent the last six months with the Americans, all captives of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, seeing them last on Feb. 4.

"The oldest, the pilot Thomas Howes (aged 54), had a blow to his head that gives him very strong recurring headaches," said Perez. "He's got a problem with hypertension with very little medical treatment, almost none, and it's very difficult to get drugs for hypertension."

Perez said Marc Gonsalves, 35, also has problems "resulting from the accident in his spine and his knees. He's also suffered all kind of illnesses that we also got like leishmaniasis and malaria."

He said Gonsalves had hepatitis recently.

In a radio interview just hours after he was released with three other Colombian politicians who had been held for six years, Perez did not specifically mention the third American hostage, 43-year-old Keith Stansell.

FARC guerrillas captured the three when their surveillance plane crashed on Feb. 13, 2003, in rebel territory in southern Colombia.

Palmera said he never saw the Americans or kept them hostage himself.

Perez said that he imagined the Americans' spirits would have been lifted somewhat by U.S. Ambassador William Brownfield's recent statements that Washington would be disposed to review Palmera's prison term if it would lead to their liberation.

A treaty Washington has with Colombia would allow it to send Palmera to a prison in this country.