FRANCE/COLOMBIA: The family of Ingrid Betancourt and President Sarkozy tell of their relief after Betancourt was freed from the hands of the FARC in a military operation in Colombia
Record ID:
858113
FRANCE/COLOMBIA: The family of Ingrid Betancourt and President Sarkozy tell of their relief after Betancourt was freed from the hands of the FARC in a military operation in Colombia
- Title: FRANCE/COLOMBIA: The family of Ingrid Betancourt and President Sarkozy tell of their relief after Betancourt was freed from the hands of the FARC in a military operation in Colombia
- Date: 3rd July 2008
- Summary: (W5) PARIS, FRANCE (JULY 2, 2008) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF ELYSEE SARKOZY AND BERNARD KOUCHNER, FRENCH FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTER, SHAKING HANDS AND LAUGHING
- Embargoed: 18th July 2008 13:00
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- Topics: Crime / Law Enforcement
- Reuters ID: LVABZUSPW82N1C3QGIVBSMA5UZBE
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- Story Text: The family of Ingrid Betancourt and President Sarkozy tell of their relief after Betancourt was freed from the hands of the FARC in a military operation in Colombia.
STORY : French-Colombian politician Ingrid Betancourt, three Americans and 11 other hostages held for years in jungle captivity were rescued on Wednesday (July 2) from leftist guerrillas by Colombian troops posing as aid workers.
The rescue was a huge coup for popular President Alvaro Uribe, an anti-guerrilla hard-liner who has used billions of dollars in U.S. aid to push the rebels onto the defensive, cut crime and spur economic growth.
Betancourt, 46, was the highest profile captive held by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, known as the FARC, Latin America's oldest surviving left-wing insurgency.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy said Betancourt was in good health and despatched his Foreign Minister, Bernard Kouchner, in a plane to Colombia.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, tonight Ingrid Betancourt is free. It's an ordeal of over six years thattoday. Ingrid is in good health, she is on a Colombian army base. My first words will be to tell her how happy we are, her family will have more than me the appropriate words for the feelings they are having." said Nicolas Sarkozy after meeting with Betancourt's French family.
"It's the moment I've been waiting for, with my family we just can't find the words. We are waiting for the moment when we'll be able to hug mummy in our arms. I would like, first of all, to thank the President because since he has been taking care of this, everything has started to move and today mummy is here." said Mélanie Delloye, Betancourt's daughter.
Son Lorenzo Delloye added: "It's hard to find the words in a situation like this one. I would like to thank the French President Nicolas Sarkozy for having done everything he could and to have succeeded to get to mummy's liberation and of the other hostages. We have to remember that there are others but I think that the process is now going forward and that they will all be soon freed."
After talking to the media at the Elysee Palace, the Betancourt family and Foreign Affairs Minister Bernard Kouchner then headed to an army airport to leave for Colombia.
"I will tell her how happy France is and I will ask her whether she wants to come back home with us, or if she wants to stay, we will do as she wishes," said Kouchner.
A former presidential candidate, Bettancourt's dual French-Colombian nationality had helped bring world attention to the plight of hostages held by the rebels.
The rescue was carried out in the southern jungle province of Guaviare, Santos said. Soldiers posed as members of a fictitious non-government organization that supposedly would fly the hostages by helicopter to a camp to meet with rebel leader Alfonso Cano. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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