Colombian ex-presidential candidate promotes rescue efforts of rebel-held hostages
1/12/2008 16:08
Relatives of kidnapped Colombian policemen and soldiers named the
country's former presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt "chancellor" yesterday
and asked her to be their representative to push ahead efforts to free their
loved ones.
Betancourt, who was kidnapped by the Revolutionary Armed Forces
of Colombia (FARC) in 2002, was rescued on July 2 together with another 14
hostages in FARC hands.
The former presidential candidate, who holds both
Colombian and French citizenship, met with relatives of the hostages in the
residence of French Ambassador to Colombia Jean Michel Marlaud in northern
Bogota.
Former congressman Oscar Tulio Lizcano, who also attended the
meeting, said the government and FARC should engage in a dialogue to free those
"that are rotting in the jungle."
Lizcano said prisoner swap is a better
option than carrying out rescue operations.
Betancourt met Colombian
President Alvaro Uribe late Saturday before embarking on a tour to Ecuador,
Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Peru, Bolivia and possibly Venezuela to rally support
for the release of hostages in FARC captivity.
The FARC currently holds
dozens of high-profile hostages, whom the rebel group has intended to swap for
some 500 of its members held in government jails.
Apart from the prominent
hostages, the FARC also holds 700 others, mainly Colombian police officers and
soldiers.
Xinhua
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