Former Colombian presidential candidate and national icon Ingrid Betancourt was rescued today after having been held captive for over 6 years by the FARC in the jungles of Colombia. 14 other hostages were rescued as well, including 3 Americans, all safe and in relatively good health. The whole operation was carried out by the Colombian military and took place in the southeastern part of Colombia, in an area called Guavaire. Betancourt and the other prisoners will be transported to a base closer to Bogota later today.
Best known for her work to end corruption in Colombian politics, Betancourt was kidnapped on February 23, 2002, while campaigning for the presidency, and Colombians and foreigners alike have followed her tragic story closely. New attention was drawn to her case when videos of Betancourt were released earlier this year, revealing her deteriorating health condition.
This story is still developing, so check out the latest reports via links (after the jump), along with Bogota’s CityTV’s coverage of the great news. We’re all breathing a huge sigh of relief.
And for more information:
CNN
ElTiempo.com
NYTimes