The bullet-ridden bodies of three Canadian brothers who were kidnapped more than a month ago have been found by the police in Venezuela.

John Faddoul, 17, and his brothers Kevin, 13, and Jason, 12, were discovered dead yesterday afternoon near an electrical tower in Yare, about 50 km (30 miles) west of Caracas, according to Jesse Chacon, the Justice Minister.

The body of the boys' driver, Miguel Ribas, 30, was found with them. The three boys were identified by a relative.

"We lament, despite the efforts that were made 24 hours a day since this started, we have not been able to prevent this abominable homicide," said Señor Chacon.

Police say that the brothers were abducted on February 23 when unidentified men dressed as police stopped their car at a roadside checkpoint in Caracas as the boys were on their way to school.

Authorities have not ruled out the possibility that the kidnappers could in fact be police officers.

"We really do not have words to express our pain to the Faddoul Diab family and the Ribas Guerra family for the abominable and lamentable event today," said Señor Chacon.

Officials have not revealed exactly how much in ransom the kidnappers demanded, but they have said it was more than $4.5 million (£2.6 million) - a figure circulated in the Venezuelan media.

Santiago Georges, a lawyer for the family, said recently that they were not in a position to pay the sum demanded by the kidnappers.

The boys’ parents were both born in Lebanon. Their father, John Faddoul, is a naturalised Canadian who has been a businessman in Venezuela for more than 20 years.

The victims were found with gunshot wounds in the head and neck. It appeared that they had been executed at least two days before their bodies were found, Marco Chavez, the judicial police chief, said on state television.

Señor Chacon said that the killers would be found. "We’re certain that the evidence and the advancements already made in the investigation will allow us to conclude this investigation."

Relatives, friends and classmates of three boys have held vigils and demonstrations in the streets to call for their release.

Violent robberies, kidnappings and murders are frequent in Venezuela. There were 9,402 homicides reported in 2005, slightly down from 2004, according to government statistics.

Last week Filippo Sindoni, 74, a prominent Italian-born businessman, was abducted and killed.

That case prompted Italy’s foreign minister to appeal to the government of Hugo Chavez, the Venezuelan President, to do everything possible to end the kidnappings of Italians in the country.

In January, officials in Italy said that an Italian businesswoman and her 3-year-old son were freed two months after being abducted in Venezuela. Four men were arrested for their roles in the crime, officials said.

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