Anti-FARC Rallies Held Worldwide

In front, from left, Juan Manuel Gonzalez, Elizabeth Ortado and Beatrice Estupinan sing the Colombian national anthem at a protest in the District. (By Lois Raimondo -- The Washington Post)
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Not everyone who wants the hostages freed supported the rallies. In France, an organization that backs the most high-profile hostage in Colombia, Ingrid Betancourt, who has French and Colombian citizenship, said the demonstrations could be counterproductive.

The marches "go against mediation and negotiation," said Olivier Roubi, a spokesman for the group, according to Colombia's Caracol Radio. "If you're against the FARC, you're against the humanitarian accord."

Meanwhile in Venezuela, the government prepared to receive more hostages, after the FARC announced Saturday that it would free three more Colombians, all former members of Congress. Colombian Sen. Piedad Cordoba, who is close to Chávez and is working with Venezuela's government to secure the freedom of hostages, on Monday sharply criticized the anti-FARC demonstrations.

"I think that is a march of hate and racism, of classism and exclusion," she told Venezuelan state television.

Such sentiments, though, were not apparent as Colombians demonstrated both at home and abroad.

In Washington, Bernardo Vargas, 60, said his family had been hit hard by the FARC. Two brothers, a brother-in-law and a nephew have been among the relatives kidnapped and later released after his family met ransom demands.

"No one wanted to do demonstrations before," said Vargas, a lawyer and publisher of an online magazine on Colombian affairs. "People were afraid. Now that fear is over."

Brulliard reported from Washington.