Director Oliver Stone, known for his gripping dramas, is putting himself in the middle of a real-life rescue operation.

Stone has been spotted in Venezuela alongside President Hugo Chavez, who is negotiating a possible release of three hostages held by leftist rebels in Colombia.

The Oscar-winning director says he is working on a documentary about Latin America and North America, and hopes to accompany the humanitarian mission into Colombia as an observer, calling it a “beautiful, great process.”

Standing near Chavez, Stone said the president is a “great man” and that “I’m a fan.”

On his part, Chavez urged Stone to speak with reporters and told him: “The girls want to see you!”

Chavez, who famously called U.S. President Bush “the devil,” also joked that Stone was Bush’s “envoy.”

“There are some good Americans. That’s why I’m here, to remind you,” Stone said.

Chavez revealed that Stone was in Venezuela on Thursday and that he and the director had met for two hours.

“He’s going around doing research. He says he wants to know and learn deeply the history of these nations,” Chavez said. “He’s an anti-imperialist, Oliver Stone. He’s a good man.”

This is not Stone’s first encounter with a country’s leader – he made a 2003 documentary about Cuban President Fidel Castro.






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