Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez (second from right) kisses former Colombian Senator Gloria Polanco (right), as former Rep Orlando Beltran, top left, and former Senator Luis Eladio Perez (left) look on during a welcoming ceremony at Miraflores presidential palace in Caracas, on Wednesday. - ap

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP):

Four former lawmakers, freed by Colombian guerrillas after six years in captivity, appealed to President Hugo Chavez to press for the freedom of the remaining captives, including Colombian politician, Ingrid Betancourt, and three Americans.

It was the second such release this year by the leftist rebels, who are seeking to put pressure on Colombia's US-allied government and persuade the international community to strike them from lists of terrorist groups.

After the hostages were flown by helicopter out of Colombia's jungles and brought to Caracas on Wednesday, the Venezuelan president who coordinated the release made a direct plea to the rebels' commander to urgently consider the reportedly delicate health of Betancourt, the most prominent of those still in captivity.

Reunited

The ex-lawmakers were reunited with relatives amid tears, hugs and flowers at Caracas' international airport.

Then Chavez welcomed them to the presidential palace, where hostage Gloria Polanco made a passionate plea for the Venezuelan leader to help win the release of Betancourt, a dual French-Colombian citizen who was kidnapped in 2002 while campaigning for the presidency.

"As a woman and a mother, I ask from my heart here in front of everyone that you fight to get Ingrid free as soon as possible,'' Polanco implored. "She is very ill, president, very ill. She has recurrent hepatitis B and is near the end.''

Chavez turned to TV cameras and asked rebel leader Manuel Marulanda, "from my heart, to change Ingrid's location. Move her to a base closer to you, while we continue working to pave the way for her definitive release." Chavez called Betancourt's case 'urgent'.

He also pledged "to continue doing all we can to liberate the very last" of the hostages held by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia.

Merciless

Former Senator Luis Eladio Perez, another released hostage, later said that Betancourt's treatment had been "merciless".

In France, Betancourt's daughter said she was "extremely anxious" about her mother's condition.