Released Farc man leaves Colombia

Mr Granda was captured three years ago in Venezuela

A top official from the Farc guerrilla army has left Colombia for Cuba two weeks after being freed from prison.

Rodrigo Granda, regarded as a "foreign minister" for Farc, was accompanied by a Catholic priest who is serving as a guarantor of his conditional release.

Mr Granda was freed as part of efforts to secure the release of hostages held by Farc rebels in secret jungle camps.

Colombia's government said it hoped Mr Granda would continue serving the peace process during his stay in Cuba.

"He took a decision to leave the country. I believe he can do so and the government hopes he will carry out a role as a peace facilitator from Cuba as well," Interior Minister Carlos Holguin said.

The Cuban capital, Havana, has served as a venue for several rounds of exploratory talks between Bogota and Colombia's second-biggest rebel group, the ELN.

However, Mr Granda has been quoted as saying he is only visiting Cuba to receive medical care.

President Alvaro Uribe has said he hoped Mr Granda's release two weeks ago would pave the way for the release of hostages held by Farc, including three US citizens and the French-Colombia presidential candidate, Ingrid Betancourt.

But Farc has said it would only discuss the possibility of a prisoner exchange if the government created a demilitarised zone as a venue for talks.

Mr Uribe has repeatedly rejected this demand.