Colombia’s President Juan Manuel Santos visited a police officer Sunday who escaped his FARC captors after being held for over 12 years.
Santos visited Sergeant Luis Alberto Erazo Maya who barely escaped from the FARC during an armed forces offensive that left his cheek wounded from shrapnel.
“It was really touching to see this hero of the Fatherland — after almost 12 years — in this state of mind, wanting to follow in his institution, fighting for the country,” Santos announced.
Four of Erazo’s colleagues were not as lucky; however, as they were found executed after the offensive. Expressing his sympathy to the families of the fallen officers, Santos said, “On the other four families, once again our most sincere condolences.”
The president also stressed, “We must also highlight the heroism of those who were murdered in cold blood, in a cruel manner, and again make an appeal to the country and to the international community to disavow these cruel actions of this narco-terrorist group of the FARC.”
As for Erazo, Santos said that he gave details of his treatment after all those years, and of how he was kidnapped and tortured. The president said that Erazo “told us how thankful he is with our Army and Police. How thankful he is to say ‘I’m alive.'”
The Colombian president used the opportunity to once again denounce the actions of the FARC and said that terrorism was weak and cowardly, and that cruelty is cruelty.
“The armed forces today is hurt by what happened, but with more determination to persevere,” added Santos.
