Ingrid Betancourt, the French-Colombian politician who was released
from FARC captivity exactly one year ago today, says more must be done
to seek the release of Colombia’s hostages.
Betancourt, currently enjoying a sabbatical year in France, spoke out publicly for the first time this year on the first anniversary of Operation Jaque, the military-led operation that secured her release and that of fourteen others.
Through a press release, the former hostage said that “Pablo Emilio Moncayo and 21 other of my fellow hostages expect miracles of us,” adding that “doing what is within our possibilities is not enough, you have to do more than what is possible. If we unite our energy, our prayers, our thoughts and our actions, we can move the mountains of indifference and oblivion.”
“To me it seems too cruel thinking that our liberation can be used as a justification to leave those that still suffer in oblivion,” Betancourt continued, referring that after her release not one hostage was released through the initiative of the Colombian government or international community.
She reminded Latin American leaders she visited after her release that they “keep the liberty of the hostages on their agendas.”
The former hostage congratulated French authorities for “never being indifferent to the fate of the hostages.”
Ingrid Betancourt flew to France almost immediately after her release on July 2, 2008, where she is now writing a book about herself. She returned to Colombia for a few days in December as part of a Latin American tour.