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Colombia Releases Video
Proof of Hostages
Are Alive |
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Colombia Releases Video
Proof of Hostages
Are Alive
The Colombian government
Friday released video
footage of kidnapped
former presidential
candidate Ingrid
Betancourt and three
Americans as evidence
that the hostages held
by the Revolutionary
Armed Forces of Colombia
(FARC) are still alive.
In a Colombian army
operation against FARC's
urban networks, three
people were captured in
possession of the film,
said Peace Commissioner
Luis Carlos Restrepo.
The videos are the first
proof since 2003 that
the high-profile
hostages are still
alive. Betancourt, the
dual French-Colombian
politician, appeared
depressed in the film,
while the three
Americans looked in
better shape.
Betancourt was kidnapped
in February 2002, while
she was running for the
presidency. The
Americans, who were U.S.
State Department
contractors, were
captured in February
2003 and are among the
most well-known captives
to have been held by
FARC.
Photographs and letters
from hostages were also
seized. One of the
letters was written by
Betancourt to her
mother, Restrepo added.
The Americans and
Betancourt are among
nearly 50 hostages who
the rebels want to swap
for 500 FARC prisoners.
Efforts by Venezuelan
President Hugo Chavez to
broker a hostage deal
fell recently apart
after Colombia stopped
him acting as mediator.
Restrepo said the videos
were handed to the
justice ministry, which
decided to make them
public and show them to
the hostages' families.
Copies will be sent to
the French and U.S.
governments.
Since it began operating
as a rebel insurgency,
FARC has been deeply
engaged in Colombia's
cocaine trade and has
kidnapped a large number
of high-profile people
in the country.
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Ingrid Betancourt,
French-Colombian
politician kidnapped
since February 2002, is
seen in a video released
by Colombian government
in Bogota. |
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