Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has urged the new leader of Colombia's Farc rebels to end their four-decade struggle and release all hostages.

Mr Chavez, who Colombia has accused of financing Farc, said the rebel group was "out of step" and that its "guerrilla war is history".

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Mr Chavez has been involved in recent mediation on hostage releases.

The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc) hold many hostages, including about 40 high-profile ones they says they want to swap for imprisoned rebels.

'Peace process'

In his weekly television and radio programme, Mr Chavez said: "This is my message for you, Cano: 'Come on, let all these people go.' There are old folk, women, sick people, soldiers who have been prisoners in the mountain for 10 years."

He added: "Maybe that's what I would have liked to have said to Marulanda."

Mr Chavez said: "The guerrilla war is history. At this moment in Latin America, an armed guerrilla movement is out of place."

Farc has recently suffered a number of key defections and military losses.

Mr Chavez said the situation appeared "favourable for a peace process".

He has previously called on international governments to remove Farc from a list of terrorist groups.

In March Colombia said it had found documents on a computer that proved Venezuela funded Farc.

Venezuela said any contacts with Farc were solely made as part of a humanitarian effort to free hostages.

The captives include Franco-Colombian politician Ingrid Betancourt and three Americans.

Earlier this year Mr Chavez negotiated the release of two key hostages, Clara Rojas and Consuelo Gonzalez.

Late last year his official mediation role was terminated by Colombian President Alvaro Uribe, who said Mr Chavez had overstepped his responsibilities.

(BBC)

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