04/01/2006 (Agence Europe) - The Revolutionary Armed forces of Colombia (FARC) have rejected the proposal put forward by France, Spain and Switzerland to proceed to a “humanitarian exchange” of the 59 hostages (including Ingrid Betancourt) currently being held by the Marxist guerrilla force for 500 members of the group held in Colombian prisons. FARC accuses the Colombian president, Alvaro Uribe, of wanting to exploit the initiative for the purposes of the presidential elections foreseen for May 2006. FARC reproaches the Colombian president for having made the proposal public in a “hasty” manner, immediately gaining support on 13 December. A favourite in the polls, President Uribe is candidate for a second term and has announced his wish to devote his mandate to the demobilisation of the far-right militia and to the eradication of guerrilla forces.