Chavez plans to receive FARC hostages

Photo Hugo Chavez (R) with senior FARC commander Ivan Marquez

Security is of the utmost importance in receiving the three hostages Colombian rebels have pledged to free, says Venezuela's President.

"I have some plans worked out to receive them,'' President Hugo Chavez told reporters on Friday. "It will be a delicate operation.''

Chavez said some groups which are close to or within Colombia's US-backed government 'are going to try to keep the liberation from being successful, but we will achieve it.'

The Venezuelan government says it has special units of police and soldiers ready to receive the captives.

The leftist Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) announced this week that it would hand over three hostages to Chavez, including an aide to former Colombian presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt.