Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has urged Colombia's largest left-wing rebel group to free all its hostages.Mr Chavez has in the past successfully brokered a deal with the Farc rebels to release some of their hostages.
Last week, the Farc said they were willing to search for a political solution to the 46-year-old conflict.
And the new Colombian President, Juan Manuel Santos, has also signalled he would be willing to talk to the rebels if they freed their hostages.
'No future'
Speaking on his television show, Alo Presidente, Mr Chavez said the guerrillas "should come out in favour of peace".
"They have no future by staying armed," he added, and told them to stop their campaign of kidnapping.
His message echoed that of the new Colombian President, Juan Manuel Santos, who in his inaugural address on Saturday said the door to dialogue with the Marxist group was open, but only if they freed their hostages first.
Fondelibertad, a department attached to the Colombian defence ministry which is responsible for co-ordinating anti-kidnapping efforts, says Colombian rebel groups are still holding 79 people as of February 2010.