The government of Colombia says it will allow no more international missions seeking the release of hostages held by leftist rebels.
Foreign Minister Fernando Araujo said Monday that the failed mission led by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez left what he called "a bad taste".
Araujo said Mr. Chavez and the leftist observers came to criticize the government and defend the guerrillas.
In late December Mr. Chavez assembled the observers to oversee the release of three hostages held by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia or FARC.
On New Year's Eve, the release collapsed amid accusations from the FARC that Colombian military operations interfered with the release.
It was later learned that one of the hostages, a three-year-old boy, was not under the control of the FARC, but had been released in 2005.
Some information for this report was provided by AP and Reuters.
