Colombian Hostage Situation

The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) hold over 750 hostages, including 45 "high profile" hostages (see photo above) that the group considers exchangeable.  The National Liberation Army (ELN) is believed to hold even more.

Perhaps the highest profile hostage is Ingrid Betancourt (see photo below), a French-Colombian politician who was kidnapped by the FARC in February of 2002 while campaigning for President.  Because she has both Colombian and French citizenship, France has been very active in attempting to negotiate her release.

Other hostages include three American military contractors who were captured by the FARC in February 2003:  Marc Gonsalves, Keith Stansell and Thomas Howes.  In February 2008, on the fifth anniversary of their capture, the U.S. State Department called on the FARC to immediately release them or to restate the conditions upon which they can be freed.  They have not responded.

Hope for the hostages was ignited by the FARC's January 2008 release of Clara Rojas, a former vice-presidential candidate who was captured with Betancourt in 2002, and Conseulo Gonzales, a former congresswoman who was captured in 2001.  Their release was negotiated by President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela.

Chavez is currently negotiating with FARC for the release of three more hostages kidnapped in 2001:  Gloria Polanco, Luis Eladio Perez and Orlando Beltran.  A date for their release has not been set.

Ingrid Betancourt, three American contractors, and 11 others were rescued in the early morning of July 2, 2008.  See Impunity Watch's story.

 

For more information, please see:

BBC News - Q&A Colombia Hostage Situation

NPR - Q&A - The FARC and the Colombia Hostage Situation

Impunity Watch - South America

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