Colombia rebels set to free more hostages -official

CARACAS (Reuters) - Colombian Marxist rebels plan to free four hostages Wednesday in the second release deal brokered by Venezuela in as many months despite its simmering dispute with Colombia's government, officials said.

FARC rebels have told the leftist government of President Hugo Chavez where to pick up the four captive lawmakers, Venezuelan Interior Minister Ramon Rodriguez said Monday.

"We will be ready to set off early Wednesday," he told a news conference, adding that Venezuela still needs approval from Colombia's conservative government to go ahead with the operation.

The release of the hostages, who have been held for at least five years in jungle camps, would further raise hopes that the most high-profile captives, a French-Colombian politician and four Americans, could also eventually be freed.

The release in January of two women politicians marked the first major breakthrough in years in talks to move toward peace between the FARC -- the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia -- and the government of Colombian President Alvaro Uribe.

But after close initial cooperation, Chavez and Uribe have bickered for weeks over Chavez's mediation with the rebels. (Reporting by Saul Hudson; Editing by Kieran Murray)