Colombia rebels say army impeding hostage release

CARACAS (Reuters) - Colombian rebels said in a letter on Monday intense military activity had impeded the release of three hostages they had promised to hand over to Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.

Chavez read the letter from the rebels on Venezuelan state television and said he would not abandon his mission to pick up the hostages, including a young child.

(Reporting by Frank Jack Daniel, editing by Doina Chiacu)