French-Colombian politician Ingrid Betancourt on Friday admitted herself to a psychiatric hospital after realizing she is “as mad as a hatter.”
Earlier that day news broke that Betancourt, who in 2008 was rescued by Colombian armed forces from captivity by FARC rebels, sought a 13 billion peso ($6.5 million) compensation from the Colombian government.
“This was completely and utterly insane,” Betancourt admitted following severe criticism from the Colombian government and general public and an apparent revelation regarding her own sanity.
“I don’t know what I was thinking. I cost the Colombian tax payer millions of dollars already and for a reason beyond comprehension thought I was entitled to even more,” a remorseful Betancourt said just before entering the Saint-Anne psychiatric hospital in Paris.
“I never did anything for the Colombian people and I don’t understand why I thought they owed me that amount of money,” the former hostage added.
Betancourt was kidnapped in 2002 when traveling through FARC-controlled territory in the south, despite warnings by government officials. She, three U.S. military contractors and eleven members of Colombia’s armed forces were rescued in July 2008.