Rescue drama in Colombia

The rescue (July 2) of Ms Ingrid Betancourt, the Colombian Presidential candidate kidnapped in 2002 by Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), a leftist guerrilla group active in Colombia since the 60s, hit the headlines across Europe and America. FARC is a well known Colombian guerrilla group which started as a Communist peasant party in the 60s, now rumoured to be funded by US drug money.

The successful operation has all the qualities of a thriller movie: politics, mystery and deception, guerrilla camps, helicopters, soldiers and drama; and the daughter of a beauty queen at the centre of it all. The climax was a reunion in Bogotá in a family “orgy of kisses,” TV cameras sending live images across the world.

There is even the character of a male nurse, a corporal in the army who nursed Ms Betancourt back to health from several ailments that she suffered in captivity. At one point she contemplated suicide.

The operation for her rescue launched by the Colombian government with active participation of the French and the Americans, spy satellites tracing guerrilla movements in the Andes, resulted in her release and that of three (American) Defense Department contractors who were taken hostage after a mysterious plane crash in 2003. Eleven Colombian policemen were also released.

The FARC continue to hold at least 40 high profile hostages that they want to exchange for some of there colleagues being held by the Colombian authorities. It is believed that the FARC are holding about 700 hostages.