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Caracas: Helicopters sent by President Hugo Chavez plucked two rebel-held hostages from the jungles of Colombia and flew the women to Venezuela in a mission that could open a new path to freedom for dozens of captives.
After about six years in captivity, Clara Rojas and Consuelo Gonzalez planted kisses on the cheeks of heavily armed rebels after their release on Thursday.
The women, thin but apparently in good health, flew to Caracas, where tearful relatives embraced them on the tarmac. Rojas said her first priority is to hug her 3-year-old son Emmanuel, who was taken from her arms eight months after he was born in a jungle camp.
Chavez greeted the women with hugs and kisses at the presidential palace. The women and their families stood alongside him and sang Colombia's national anthem while a military band played.
Analysts say the operation could give a boost to Chavez's regional prestige and increase pressure on the Colombian President, Alvaro Uribe, to reconcile with the fiery Venezuelan leader.
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