I’m beyond thrilled by the rescue of former Colombian presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt from the FARC guerrilla group that held her hostage for more than six years. Not only were she and 14 other hostages saved, but the rescue operation was pure genius. Colombian commandos who infiltrated FARC simply convinced Cesar, the local rebel leader, that they needed to borrow his hostages so the chief of FARC could have a visit with them. Cesar, who is likely facing reduced career prospects in the terrorism field, delivered the hostages to disguised Colombian military helicopters that flew the group to freedom.
Ingrid Betancourt in captivityNew photos are here
I’d read about Betancourt over the years, but she was really on my mind after Jose de Cordoba’s excellent story about her ran in the Wall Street Journal last month. Unfortunately, no one at the WSJ has realized that it would be smart to make this story widely accessible in light of the rescue. If you click here, you just get a couple of preview paragraphs … unless you subscribe to WSJ.com. (In your dreams, Rupert!) Someone needs to wake up and smell the Colombian coffee.
FARC is thought to be holding about 700 people hostage in the jungle. Hopefully, those people will be released soon too.
wow! still 700 people held hostage?? At least they’ve started the rescue process.
makes me so sad. all our beautiful latin american countries are terrorized if not run by thugs.
this in the news too. it’s really sad… sometimes i feel so guilty about all my materialistic rubbish. yesterday i spent a few hours actually looking at the spca and wwf websites to figure out what kind of animals i can adopt. i’m still a student and not really earning money, so i can only go this once every few months, but hopefully that goes to something. 700 people… wow… that’s so many..
Thats very good news indeed-lets hope and pray now for the further 700 hostages.
Hey Ms B,
Just saw her on the evening news, post-rescue, giving a speech. Not making small of her ordeal but she sure is looking really good for someone who’s been held captive against her will for so long.
That’s so great that she (and others) have been rescued, but I wonder what their lives will be like now after so long in captivity. The entire situation in Colombia is terribly tragic.
This is such a great story; I wish this morning’s Today show had spent a little more time on it. It’s also going to make a great movie someday. I’m very happy for Ms. Betancourt and all of the other rescued hostages.
TCH, I was thinking the same thing. Just because you’re grateful to be free doesn’t mean your life is going to fall back into place 🙁
I’m not big on news and I hardly ever read a newspaper, so thank you much for sharing.
great to have good news to read!
thank you for sharing. what an unbelievable story.
Stef, I felt like it was the first good news I’d read in a year!
I am so happy for her! Hope that the rest people will be free as well.
gosh 700 people? imagine. i’ve never heard of this either, just shows how shaded the news is
Thanks for sharing this incredible news story (wow) but with your trademark WendyB wit: I snickered at the line “who is likely facing reduced career prospects in the terrorism field.” 😛
This is the happiest news story Miss J has read in forever. Especially great are the pictures of her reuinted with her children.
Let’s hope there are more releases soon.
Fantastic ending – really good and we’ve had lots of articles on this over the years – best ones in The Guardian.
The French were instramental in all fo this too.
The resuce sounds like a story in itself.
I totally agree, the method here was incredible. When I heard she was rescued, I figured it was some complex SAS type of operation. Nope. Simple ruse. Fantastic.
I’m glad some progress is being made, and that awareness is growing.
I remember that image from the NYT, I believe. Didn’t she also have a child while a hostage? The experience must have been unbearable and I was so happy to see her with her (other?) two children in print today.
Better dressed, cooler friends, and smarter than me? You’ve got to give me something to win at, Ms. B.
I know this is awful, bit I’ve already selected Maria Doyle Kennedy (from The Tudors) to play her in the movie….
when that news broke, i was really, really happy. i even called my mom to tell her. what an inspirational woman! she still plans to be a presidential canditate some time.
OMG, I had no idea they released her! I am overjoyed, thank you for your post.
I only heard about this yesterday, and it about brought me to tears. When a successful mission goes off like this, I can’t help but feel genuinely proud of what our country is capable of doing at times. It nearly broke me to hear how she told her kids that she was going to be glued to their hips for the rest of their lives, and it was so beautiful to read an inspiring & celebratory story about the good that can be accomplished from a bad situation.
time for that guy to switch sides, real quick.
finally, some great news. But it’s incredible that there are still 700 people being held.