Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez on Wednesday announced that French-Colombian politician Ingrid Betancourt will take part in the fight to free the hostages still held by the rebel Colombian Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARC).

The ruler said that he held a telephone conversation with Betancourt, who was rescued last week after more than six years as hostage of the FARC.

"It was a great pleasure to talk to Ingrid Betancourt, and to wish her and her family much happiness. This morning I talked to her mother,
Yolanda Pulecio, a friend of ours, and we wish her, her relatives and all the Colombian people well. The same goes for the Venezuelan people. We are the same fatherland. We, Colombia and Venezuela, are the same fatherland, sons of the greatness of (Simón) Bolívar and (Francisco de) Miranda, fathers of freedom," he stated.

"She (Betancourt) asked me (during the conversation) to keep fighting, now in coordination with her. She is going to be a great support. She is a great woman, very intelligent and courageous. We count on her to go ahead, and I told her that, God willing, we will be able to free all hostages held by guerrillas," Chávez pointed out.