VENEZUELAN President Hugo Chavez is prepared to send planes and helicopters into neighbouring Colombia to pick up three hostages who have been held for years by leftist rebels.

Former presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt is forced to sleep chained by her neck as punishment for having tried to escape from her rebel captors five times, an escaped hostage told family members today.

A COLOMBIAN politician kidnapped three years ago by Marxist rebels is in “good health,” a commander of the rebel forces has said.

Leftist guerrillas in Colombia have taken a presidential candidate hostage after abducting her at a roadblock as she was driving into an area where government troops are trying to oust the rebels.

A presidential candidate has been kidnapped by rebels in Colombia.

A candidate in Colombia's presidential elections has been reported missing after she failed to arrive at a former rebel-controlled town occupied by the army.