Richardson to Venezuela

Gov. Bill Richardson of New Mexico is heading to Venezuela to negotiate the release of 3 US hostages held by the FARC.

He had visited Colombia for the same purpose on a previous occasion.

The article touts Richardson's experience at the UN, and in negotiating other hostage releases. My question is, where was he when the 5 American missionaries were held hostage in Colombia and were eventually murdered?

And is Venezuela now the established conduit to getting hostages released by the FARC? If anything, to me this just adds to the validity that Chavez and the FARC are in bed together. And of course it goes beyond the mutual back scratching: FARC releases hostages to Chavez to make him look good, Chavez pleads the FARC case to the world.

Oh how I wish the full contents of those laptops become available. I'm sure that there is even more evidence on there linking Chavez, Correa and others (even US officials) to the FARC.