Ex-FARC captive Ingrid Betancourt plans to return to Colombia at the end of October to attend a homage to her deceased father, despite recently being declared a “military objective” by the guerrilla group along with the other 14 hostages rescued in July.
Before returning, Betancourt will meet this week with Colombian president Alvaro Uribe in New York during an event at the United Nations.
In related news, the Colombian Episcopal Conference announced its backing Ingrid Betancourt’s Nobel Peace Prize nomination by the Chilean government. The president of the conference said the recognition would bring international attention to the extremely painful experience Betancourt suffered and thousands of Colombians continue to endure.
Gabriel Betancourt, ex-minister of education in Colombia, died on March 23, 2002, a month after his daugther was kidnapped while campaigning as a presidential candidate for the Green party, reported Univision.
“Since four years ago we have been programming a large tribute to doctor Gabriel Betancourt for his great support of education in Colombia and we will count on the participation of Ingrid, who already confirmed her attendance,” director of the state Colombian Institute of Education Credit and Technical Studies in the Exterior, Marta Lucía Villegas told French press agency AFP.