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Posts Tagged ‘hostages’

Yet Another FARC Hostage is Liberated

8:11 am By Maegan La Mala · Colombia|Justice|Latin America|society · Comments Off

6 Feb 2009

After being held for 7 years, former lawmaker Sigifrido López was released by the FARC yesterday evening, making him the 6th hostage set free by the the guerrilla group in less than one week.

López was, like the others, released in to jungle where he awaited rescue by helicopter, this time one from the Brazilian Armed Forces. And, like Alan Jara, López emerged from captivity calmly and looking like he’s in great health.

Mercopress has López’s testimony upon release (in English) here.

Via / YouTube

FARC Liberates One More Hostage

11:09 am By Maegan La Mala · Colombia|Justice|Latin America|Politics · Comments Off

4 Feb 2009

Colombian rebel group FARC has liberated yet another hostage, just days after it freed 3 military men and one civilian in the Colombian jungle. Alan Jara, an ex-provincial governor who was abducted in 2001, was freed yesterday.

What is interesting to me is the calm with which Jara emerged from captivity after having been imprisoned for nearly 8 years, a sharp contrast with the faces of the first hostages released by FARC last year — among them Ingrid Betancourt. Jara looks great, and acted as if he’d just gone out for a walk.

Upon his return, Jara thanked Colombian senator Piedad Córdoba and Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez, and in a press conference had a poignant message to the Colombian government: “I believe that the FARC has made a gesture, and that gesture should be returned.” Jara is urging for dialogue to put an end to the violence.

Speaking of violence, while Jara was being released, the FARC was bombing a neighborhood in Cali, leaving 3 people dead and 30 injured. That is quite a gesture as well. Why would you release a hostage then set off a car bomb? It doesn’t make sense.

Via / Senator Piedad Córdoba’s website

FARC Releases 4 Hostages in “Goodwill Gesture”

7:04 am By Maegan La Mala · Colombia|Latin America|society · Comments Off

2 Feb 2009

Colombian guerilla group FARC released 4 hostages, three police offers and a civilian, into the jungle last night in what is being called a “goodwill gesture”. The hostages were picked up by a Brazilian Red Cross helicopter, and taken to a small airtport in Eastern Colombia to be reunited with their families. Colombia’s CaracolTV shows the emotional reunion in the above video.

AP reports that while the release is great news, it is being “marred by accusations that Colombia’s military interfered. A reporter who was accompanied the mission, Jorge Enrique Botero, said the military hounded and delayed the mission by more than two hours with numerous flyovers.”

Via / YouTube

Betancourt’s Family to Put the Pressure on FARC

6:47 pm By Maegan La Mala · Colombia|Latin America|Politics · Comments Off

21 Jan 2008

Members of FARC hostage Ingrid Betancourt‘s family say they will not let up on pressuring the Colombian government and the international community to push for more liberations.

Lorenzo Delloye [pictured above with his sister], son of the ex-politician kidnapped 6 years ago told Radio Caracol that the family has hope that FARC will facilitate a new humanitarian agreement which would open up the possibility of the return of those being held.

“We are going to seek out all of the international pressure necessary to support the European emissaries and the Church, and to ask FARC to accept a dialogue. We need for them to say where they want to negotiate,” he said.

Delloye made the statement after the FARC denied the Colombian government’s offer to provide the hostages with medical services. FARC leaders said they denied the visit because it would put the lives of the hostages at risk.

Via / Crónica

Spanish and Argentine Hostages Liberated

9:21 am By Maegan La Mala · Argentina|society|World · Comments Off

2 Jan 2008

The FARC hasn’t liberated their captives, but two women of Spanish and Argentine citizenship being held hostage in Somalia were freed yesterday, according to Mexico’s El Universal. The women — Argentine nurse Pilar Bauzá Moreno and Spanish doctor Mercedes García (pictured) — were both employees of aid group Doctors without Borders and were working in Somalia when they were kidnapped on December 26th, 2007.

According to the Argentine government’s spokesperson, both women are “safe and sound” and currently on their way to Spain where they will be reunited with their families.

Via / El Universal

Image: EFE

Chavez authorized to move forward with FARC

3:45 pm By Maegan La Mala · Colombia|Politics|Venezuela · Comments Off

26 Dec 2007

capt.sge.uvj08.160907030554.photo00.photo.default-512x456.jpg Things are moving pretty quickly in the FARC hostage situation. This morning, Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez said that all he needed to move forward with the getting the FARC hostages freed was the Colombian government’s authorization.

A couple of hours later, El Universal reported that Colombia was “studying Chavez’s proposal”. Now, word just came that Colombia will accept Chavez’s offer and let him facilitate the freeing of three hostages, Clara Rojas, her son Emmanuel, and ex-congresswoman Consuelo González de Pérdomo. The official statement from the government is:

“The government of Colombia authorizes the humanitarian mission based on the terms described and assigns Doctor Luis Carlos Restrepo as its representative delegate.

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