Weekly Report - 23 August 2007 (ISSN 1741-7422)

Venezuela's Hugo Chávez will mediate between the Colombian government and the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (Farc) to try and effect a humanitarian exchange. Chávez 's involvement has the blessing of Colombia's President Alvaro Uribe, who appointed Senator Piedad Córdoba, a vocal critic of Uribe and self-professed Chavista, as a "facilitator" for the exchange. Both Chávez and Uribe are taking a calculated political risk but the potential rewards are great.