Ingrid Betancourt Unable to Return to Dangerous Colombia

By Jessalyn Mastrianni
Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

BOGOTA, Colombia – Former Colombian politician Ingrid Betancourt has announced that she will not return to Colombia due to security risks.  Betancourt was held hostage by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) for six years.  During her campaign for Colombian presidency, FARC captured her and she became their highest-profile hostage.  She and fourteen other hostages were rescued this past July.

Since her rescue, Betancourt has spent her time in the United States and Europe.  There have been threats against her because FARC considers the rescued hostages to be “fugitives.”  Due to the danger, at her family’s request Betancourt will not return to Colombia.  However, she is spending time with family as well as putting her efforts toward releasing more FARC hostages.

Betancourt has made it clear that she does not plan to involve herself in Colombian politics again.  She also turned down an offer from Brazil to fill the 2009 position of head of their UN Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). On the other hand, her advice for politicians is to open a dialogue with her captors.  She has said that the most important thing is to make sure the terrorists cannot be isolated.  According to AP, Betancourt says, “The solution is not to close the door but on the contrary to force it open."

Betancourt dreams of returning to Colombia when it is secure.  Until then, she will focus on human rights from abroad.

For more information, please see:

New Kerala – Betancourt will not return home because of threats – 23 September 2008

AP – Ex-hostage Betancourt: End terror through dialogue – 24 September 2008

The Taipei Times – Betancourt not ready to return because of threats – 24 September 2008