Colombia Reports

Colombian senator Piedad Córdoba, who mediated the release of some hostages earlier this year, advised the FARC not to release French-Colombian hostage Ingrid Betancourt, Colombian magazine Semana reports.

The magazine investigated 900 e-mails allegedly written by the senator and found on the computer Colombia claims belonged to slain FARC-commander Raúl Reyes.

The files show Córdoba was already in touch with the FARC before the Colombian government assigned her and Chávez to mediate with the rebels on October 12, 2007 and show her adoration and unconditional support for the leftist Venezuelan president.

The e-mails allegedly sent during the mediation, leave doubts about the purpose of the release of hostages. In one of the published e-mails, dated October 27, 2007 the release of hostages doesn’t seem to be the end, but a means to boost the credibility of Chávez.

“I believe there should be a meeting (with Chávez) very soon and you should show evidence of life (of the hostages), it will give a strong boost to commander Chávez before the December 2 elections. Imagine Chávez loses that poll. They will shut us down. Chávez has been playing hard and can’t be left standing alone. He’s very dignified and won’t ask for help, but I’m afraid, that’s why I ask you this personally, the fate of the Americas and the luck of the dispossessed of this world, depend on this great man. He gives us hope. I don’t think many people see this man is a godsend. He gave me back my hope and made me dream of a free homeland. I give everything for him. This man made me believe in Christianity again. You are now receiving the reward for a lifelong struggle and the reward’s called Chávez. We need to boost Chávez so he wins the December 2 constitutional referendum. That’s why I ask you, with all due respect, to give these evidences of life, so that my commander Chávez can show them to the world and the people believe us.” (Piedad Córdoba to Raúl Reyes on October 27, 2007)

An e-mail,  sent on December 11, 2007 by prominent FARC-member ‘César’ to Raúl Reyes, indicates Córdoba isn’t trying to mediate the liberation of Ingrid Betancourt, but instead advises to keep her hostage. Colombian President Álvaro Uribe by then had pulled the plug out of the mediation efforts by Córdoba and Chávez.

I will try to write the following phrases as literally as she (Córdoba) said.

• That Ingrid is thin, but that she’s always been thin and it won’t kill her.
• That she believes someone needs to be released and given to Chávez on the border and that it shouldn’t be Ingrid. They don’t give a fuck about the rest anymore.
• That she had a fierce discussion with Yolanda Pulecio (Betancourt’s mother) about the show she put up for her daughter.
• That she fully supports the political platform of the FARC. Not so much the armed struggle. She sees it is a Colombian right, but doesn’t discard it as the right choice.
• That there’s high level infiltators that allowed the capture of comrades who brought the evidence of life.
• She will create a scandal so that they release the imprisoned comrades.
• That she doesn’t give a shit about Sarkozy’s proposal.

Piedad Córdoba denies she wrote the e-mails quoted by the magazine and denies saying the things as appearing in the mail allegedly written by ‘César’.

The computer files were reason for Colombia’s prosecution to start an investigation against the senator from the Liberal Party.