Uncertainty surrounding the illness of Venezuelan President, Hugo Chávez, increased on Wednesday after respected American journalist, Dan Rather, claimed the president’s illness is at an advanced state.

According to Rather, a source very close to Chávez, told him that the president is in delicate condition due to the cancer he has been suffering for the past year which is “approaching the final stage”. Rather also said there is great concern in Venezuela regarding the amount of time Chávez has left to live, which the source said may not be more than “a few months”.

After a number of trips to Cuba where he is undergoing cancer treatment with chemotherapy and radiation, Chávez confirmed that he will participate in the presidential elections on October 7^th and hopes to be reelected.

With the UCI BMX World Championship in Birmingham completed, two men and one woman will represent Colombian BMX in the Summer Olympics in London, on August 8^th, 9^th and 10^th.

Just 37 points behind the Netherlands, Colombia was unable to regain the fifth slot in the UCI rankings, which would have allowed it to send more riders to London.

Mariana Pajón is thrilled with her results in Birmingham, especially after two previous accidents that almost keep her out of the competition altogether. Now the athlete says she will put all her efforts into preparing for London.

The battle between the World Health Organization and the tobacco industry continues. The theme of this year’s World No Tobacco Day, which is today, is tobacco industry interference.

“The campaign will focus on the need to expose and counter the tobacco industry’s brazen and increasingly aggressive attempts to undermine the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) because of the serious danger they pose to public health”, the organization stated.

Ever since the FCTC was signed in 2003, the tobacco industry has made it a point to delay its implementation, with constant confrontations that put the lives of millions in danger.

Farc released French reporter, Romeo Langlois, in the village of San Isidro (Caquetá); after more than a month of captivity, Langlois was handed over to a humanitarian mission made up of representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross; former Colombian senator, Piedad Córdoba, and an envoy of the French government.

In his first statements to the press, Langlois said he was treated well by his captors, “like a guest”; he also touched on a topic that’s been highly controversial ever since his abduction saying he hopes the Army “keeps taking reporters to areas of conflict and that there are reporters willing to go with the guerrilla to observe their daily lives, because this conflict does not get covered.”

Langlois’ release, however, doesn’t resolve issues like “non-extortive” kidnappings and how the press should cover the armed conflict.

Authorities resumed operations at airports in the coffee growing region after activities were paralyzed early Tuesday due to the ash spewing out of the Ruiz Volcano. Activity in the volcano increased and raised the alert level from yellow to orange.

Nearly 20 flights were cancelled and more than 700 travelers affected at airports in Manizales, Pereira and Armenia.

Residents of the affected areas awoke to a cloud of ashes that covered the streets and vehicles but that, according to experts, are not cause for alarm. The use of facemasks and goggles is recommended to avoid any negative health effects but it is not necessary to store water.

However, emergency plans are in place in preparation for a possible eruption.

Colombia’s Attorney General, Eduardo Montealegre, said on Tuesday that authorities currently have enough elements to come up with an “initial hypothesis” that leads them to conclude that “there  is a connection between the car bomb (disarmed earlier on the same day), attributed to Farc, and the attack against Fernando Londoño.”

Montealegre said there was information found on the computers of the late alias “Mono Jojoy” confirming he gave orders for the former minister to be followed.

Montealegre pointed out that the investigation into the attack that killed two and injured at least 50 others is still underway but that they “have been able to establish initial links between the car bomb and the attack against the former minister”.

Everything is ready for the operation that will hopefully result in the release of French reporter, Romeo Langlois, kidnapped by Farc.

A commission arrived in Florencia on Tuesday and, according to former Colombian senator Piedad Córdoba, the group will leave early tomorrow and arrive at the site where the guerrilla plans to hand over the hostage. The exact coordinates will be revealed at seven in the morning.

The head of the ICRC in Colombia, Jordi Raich, confirmed Córdoba’s statements and said everything is going according to the original plan. “It should be a quick process because as far as logistics everything is ready, as you can see.”

The Colombian Army will suspend all operations in the “general area” by 6:00 p.m. tonight and will remain inactive until Thursday at 6:00 a.m.Upon arrival in France, Langlois will be admitted to a hospital and possibly meet with President of France, Francois Hollande.

Former Valle representative, Sigifredo López, said on Monday that the country will realize that he is innocent and had absolutely no responsibility in the kidnapping and murder of his colleagues in the Valle Assembly. “The country will realize that,” he said.

In reference to the video in which the prosecution claims López appears giving the guerrilla advice on how to carry out the kidnapping López said “the tone of voice is different, back then I was 38 years old, my voice was younger…the frequency, that man is more paused when speaking. This was hasty.”

López asked the national media to analyze how stories are supposed to be treated and pointed out that the Dijín already said this video is not compelling proof of his involvement.

As his voice cracked, he asked “Who could possibly think I would put myself through torture for all that time? Who could possibly think I am a monster?” Later he said: “I was a victim of Farc..they took everything from me…my God, where is the logic?”

López said it’s clear that God has a mission for him, which is to search for peace in Colombia and said he will continue to work with that goal in mind. “I love this country, I have roots here, and that’s why I haven’t left.”

He also said there are people “who will not forgive me for being alive, that’s not my fault.”

López has been in custody since May 16^th when a warrant for his arrest was issued by a judge for his alleged complicity in the kidnapping and subsequent murder of 11 representatives from the department of Valle.

Colombian Vice-President, Angelino Garzón, was not elected as the new head of the International Labour Organization (ILO), the second most important position within the United Nations, but his support was key to Englishman Guy Ryder’s victory.

While some national political figures feel Garzón’s candidacy was a lost cause to begin with, others believe the intense five-month campaign with visits to 12 countries was a chance to present Colombia to the world in a different light and secure ties that will lead to more technical assistance for the country later on

Colombia’s Defense Minister, Juan Carlos Pinzón Bueno, said on Monday that the Government has not received any type of proof linking former President Alvaro Uribe with the attack against former Justice Minister, Fenando Londoño.

In a press conference Pinzón said “Nobody has ever handed me any kind of proof, much less a foreign government, about an attack against Dr. Londoño”. The attack occurred shortly before noon last May 15^th, two people were killed and approximately 50 others were injured.

Pinzón criticized claims of the alleged involvement made by Venezuelan political scientist, Miguel Angel Pérez, who said on a television show that it had been confirmed that “the alleged attack against Minister Londoño of Colombia was planned and executed by them, Alvaro Uribe and, supposedly, Londoño himself.”

Uribe tweeted his rejection immediately after learning of Pérez’ claims.