After 6 years in captivity, Ingrid Betancourt, the Colombian born politician was set free by some highly skilful undercover maneuvers. Betancourt is a politician with guts. She had to have guts to have raised and campaigned against Colombia’s corruption at the highest level and against the damning drug trafficking trade. She formed her own party called Green Oxygen Party in her bid for the presidential elections in 2002. She must have been seen like a real threat to the power structures for her to be kidnapped out of her run. Betancourt along with her aide Clara Rojas was taken from their car by rebels and thugs of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Columbia (FARC) while on the campaign trail.
There are no reports on how the captives were treated but from the last photographs in 2007 Betancourt family whose family lived in France (her dad was a diplomat there when she was born) worried for her because she had lost a lot of weight. Who wouldn’t after six years away from your children Melanie and Lorenzo Delloye, friends and family members? Betancourt is expected to return to France with her children.
Authorities say Colombian intelligence officials tricked the rebels into handing over their most prominent hostages for transport by helicopter to another location. Colombian officials say the hostages boarded what turned out to be a government helicopter that flew them to safety.
The US, European and Colombian governments have designated the FARC as a terrorist organization. FARC is apparently holding more than 700 hostages in jungle locations. Why does a group of rebel have to hold innocent people at ransom, where is the international police force to help the vulnerable. The world is in need of a separate and distinct strong and effective military force who will rescue people like these. The days for the long gunslingers, the egomaniacs and despots should be over.
