Colombia Rescues Ingrid Betancourt, Americans From FARC

***UPDATED 9:21pm ET -- July 2, 2008***

Colombia - Colombian spies tricked leftist rebels into handing over kidnapped presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt and three U.S. military contractors Wednesday in a daring helicopter rescue so successful that not a single shot was fired.

Betancourt, who was seized on the campaign trail six long years ago, appeared thin but healthy as she strode down the stairs of a military plane and held her mother in a long embrace. She said she still aspires to the presidency.

"God, this is a miracle," Betancourt said. "Such a perfect operation is unprecedented."

Eleven Colombian police and soldiers were also freed in the rescue, the most serious blow ever dealt to the 44-year-old Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, which considered the four hostages their most valuable bargaining chips. The FARC is already reeling from the deaths of key commanders and the loss of much of the territory it once held.

The Americans -- Marc Gonsalves, Thomas Howes and Keith Stansell -- were flying directly to the United States to reunite with their families, Defense Minister Juan Manuel Santos said. They had been the longest-held American hostages in the world.

***EARLIER***

Colombia - Colombia said its military rescued former presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt, three U.S. military contractors and 11 other hostages from leftist rebels on Wednesday.

Story continues below

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Defense Minister Juan Manuel Santos says no one was hurt in the operation in eastern Colombia.

He said army commandos captured rebels manning a security ring around the hostages and got them to persuade their comrades to turn over the captives, without any loss of life.

Santos says the other 11 hostages freed were Colombian soldiers and police.

Betancourt, the Americans Marc Gonsalves, Thomas Howes and Keith Stansell, and the other hostages were taken to a military base.

In Paris, Betancourt's son Lorenzo Delloye-Betancourt called her release after six years of captivity, "if true, the most beautiful news of my life."

There was no answer at the homes of American families of the three U.S. hostages.

Read more here.

Scroll down for photos of Betancourt before and after she was taken hostage.

BEFORE AFTER

Comments

[LITU]

No one should ever have to endure an existence as a hostage under ANY circumstances. But let's not forget a few relevant facts. As inhumane as the FARC are, they are not more so than the right wing of the government. They arose out of a desperate attempt at retaining sovereign rights, in opposition to the de-nationalization of their country, at a time when the Friedmanites got hold of the Colombian economy and destroyed it. It's been a constant bail out of that country ever since. There's a reason why South America, by and large, is rejecting the Big 8's approach to a one world economy, and is returning one country at a time to socially responsible values.

Having beat my shoe on the table, I'm VERY glad to see these people freed.

[XFilesTheTruthIsOutThere]

I hope that Keith Olbermann tonight will expose this as a farce by McCain. CNN & Fox are already hinting that it was McCain who helped set the hostages free. This man will stoop so low just to get elected. Obama will still win by a landslide.

[mergina]

If i see that reported on the news i hope i have something nearby to vomit in.

[GeoLee]

Well, there is always the possiblity that Cheney ...er I mean Bush... set it up to happen while McCain was in Columbia so it would look that way. Pardon me for being sooooooooooooooo cynical.

[meanguy]

xfiles, your screen name is just as descriptive as mine! do you get these theories from signals transmitted thru your fillings, or does elvis send you e-mails?

[SmootyBooty]

FARC retains 700+ hostages..­.

[thewildlunch]

I think the conspiracy theorists are pretty off-base here. I've been following this story closely since 2002, and Colombian news in general for the past 10 years. The Colombian government obviously works closely with the US in some areas -- especially anti-guerrilla activities -- and this is documented fact, not idle speculation. But, I really find it unlikely that the freeing of Betancourt, the Americans, and the Colombian soldiers occurred as a coordinated effort to somehow reflect well on McCain. To think the Colombian government headed by Uribe -- as bad as that is -- is so desperate for a Republican in the White House that its long-term (or even short-term) military strategy is dictated by the travel plans of American politicians represents quite a narrow view, if you ask me, and it smacks subtly of a virulent American-centric viewpoint.

In November, no one in the US is really going to remember when these hostages were freed, or even who Betancourt is, much less be persuaded that McCain is a better choice for president based on his presence in Colombia at the time of this release.

The freeing of Betancourt is a victory for human rights. To insinuate it is a product of the GOP propaganda machine misses the point, I think. If Obama had been in Colombia at this time, and this happened, I wonder what conspiracy you would propose?

[brooklyncitizen]

Well agreed that it is all speculatio­n...howeve­r:
"To think the Colombian government headed by Uribe -- as bad as that is -- is so desperate for a Republican in the White House ..."

Colombia is increasingly marginalized by its Latin AMerican neighbors. There isa new wave of change in the political landscape in Latin America and it signifies a sharp turn away from US interference. Colombia stands out as the only status quo in tight with the Yanquis in SA. Its recent skirmish with Ecuador and Venezuela clearly indicate that. Chavez may be a buffoon but no-one in Latin AMerica is censuring him; not Argentina, or Chile or Brazil (top dogs).

It's great...I love that we are finally seeing a move away from the American dominance; this weakenning of US influence is a result of Bush's involvement in Iraq. and it's great.

Uribe has close ties to Colombian drug dealers, this has been documented and reported. FARC is also in league with this power structure.­...and its a mess.

All in all it's great that Ms. Bentancourt has been freed.Wond­erful that she has her life back.

[guajiro]

Obama wasn't there so need to idly speculate that point. The Colombia Free-Trade legislation pending before Congress is not supported by Obama as it currently stands.

"The Illinois senator said he would oppose the Colombia Free Trade Agreement “because the violence against unions in Colombia would make a mockery of the very labor protections that we have insisted be included in these kinds of agreements­.”
Unions have lobbied hard against the measure in part because of concerns of the deaths of trade unionists in Colombia. The killings of 12 top level FARQ members a month ago in Ecuador by the Uribe led government soldiers raised much public attention to the worst human rights record in the Southern Hemisphere that Alvaro Uribe, Colombia's president, has. Obama intends to have commissions verify the human rights record of Colombia and to make sure some of the intended purpose of the agreement, to raise the standard of living of the country's peasants, be insured. Uribe, and both his American and Colombian corporate millionaires, aren't interested in any concessions to the unions both in America and in Colombia.
Noam Chomsky puts it best:
http://www.chomsky.info/articles/200412--.htm

[JiminNC]

It is not the freedom of the hostages being questions. The liklihood the McDoink was advised as to the most appropriate time to "happen to be" hanging out in Columbia. B.ush, using international events to help the republicans in the election sticks on ice. I'm not buying coincidence and considering that Fox and CNN are allegedly giving McGramps some credit reinforces my suspicion.

[JiminNC]

The Columbian government manipulating our elections to help achieve CAFTA doesn't concern you?

[thewildlunch]

Perhaps this is so: that McCain was invited to Colombia at the most propitious moment. Thanks for the clarification about the nature of the suspected coordination. You may be right.

Still, we need evidence, not idle speculation. If photos appear of McCain shaking hands with one or more of the hostages, then yeah, I'll agree something sinister is going on here. And, I'll agree that the whole thing is being used as a GOP-Colombian right wing photo-op.

But, until then, I'd like to see a few more opinions based on facts and evidence posted in the comments section of this site.

That's all.

[DieHardObamaSupporter]

You smell that?

sniff...sn­iff

Iran...Con­tra...host­ages

Yes that pile of b.u.s.h.s.­h.i.t.

McBush/McSame just so happen to be sitting on top of it.

That being said, I wish the hostages and their families a speedy recovery from their reprehensible ordeal.

[BlazeKING]

So they were keeping them hostage until McCain came? So it was a political stunt by the Colombian government? A government that actively supports McCain for U.S. President? What a sick display, they should have been released earlier. Each day they were held just so John McCain could be there when they were released is a travesty.

[DrFitz]

No one's suggesting anything like that. At most, that the Columbian or U.S. government, or both may have tipped the McCain campaign that this would be an exciting time for a trip. Because enough intel was in line to pull this off. Maybe some infiltration or backchannel communication with FARC is going on too so that FARC was willing to make sure this was successful. Who knows? But no one is saying Uribe kept them just to be able to free them during the McCain visit.

[NYRalf]

I really hope someone in the press examines whether or not this "raid" was held off until McCain was in Columbia. And, if so, whether or not someone in the McCain knew about this prior to today.

[edwarvir]

I am glad she is home and looks well.

[Kalima]

Great news. It was reported that she was very sick and needed medical attention, I hope
that she recovers. Finally after years of pleading by her family, they will be reunited. The how,
why, where and so on can wait for now. For her and a few others, their harrowing ordeal
has ended.

[KQuarksSuperKollider]

I am so so happy Ingrid Bedancourt was released. Actually I could care less if the American mercinaries were released because they were their just to make money off of other people's misery.

Watch the media tout this as Mc Cain's huge Commander-in-Chief moment. The corporate owned media is scared to death of 0bama getting elected. They are on a full push now to rig the election for Mc Cain. Watch no one will question the coincidence of Mc Cain going to Columbia at the same time these hostages were freed. It reminds me of the first B ush going Iran to negotiate for the Iranian hostages by promising them arms to get Reagan elected. I wonder what Mc Cain promised to give the Columbian government for this operation. I'm sure Mc Cain managed this political theater through his lobbyist connections.

[PopeRatzo]

Columbia is so desperate for their trade deal with the US, you bet they found this poor woman. Who knows how many people got hurt as the brutal Columbian government sought to grease the skids of trade.

Nobody's going to believe that John McCain had anything to do with it because it's pretty obvious that he's a doofus.

[Guynemer]

Silly misguided anti-American twit.

Thomas Howes, Keith Stansell and Marc Gonsalves were not mercenaries. They were defense contractors providing vital reconnaissance expertise to a country racked by drug crimes, and a Marxist insurgency partially supported by the foreign governments of Cuba and Venezuela.

[cheforacle]

I am also happy Betancourt was released but I must say you are a sad human being if you believe the others deserved to be held captive. Just because someone engages in an activity that may or may not be objectionable ( I have heard they monitored crops to identify illegal coca crops to be fumagated.­) does not mean they should be subjected to captivity. If a man commits murder I have no problem with a severe punishment . If someone does something with which I don't agree, i would want any punishment to fit the crime. I have mercy for those who are imprisoned when involuntarily like this.

[Kassandra]

So, the Americans rescued were "military contractors"? And Ingrid and some Colombian Army and police.

What great press for the Free Trade deal. Excuse my cynicism, it just comes naturally these days.

[sherbug]

You are not being a cynic, they are talking about it right now on Situation Room. We must speak up and voice our displeasure at this going forward before Bush leaves Office. This was very nice that 3 hostages were freed, but it is no excuse to cram CAFTA down our throats.

CAFTA, NAFTA are all the same. Corporations pack up and move to Mexico and now to Columbia where they can get cheap labor. We become consumers of yet more foreign imports that should have been our exports to begin with. Where does this end? We need to speak up and make sure the Speaker of the House must not pass any CAFTA deals. Free trade is killing us.

Nancy Pelosi's Email

mail.house.govhouse.gov

[abigail1]

I hope they all have safe travels home to their families who must be simply overjoyed at this news.
It's nice to read good news for once.

[max]

she looks the same.

[KQuarksSuperKollider]

what a tr0ll.

[max]

she does look the same and i'm far from a troll,

[Paladine]

JiminNC...

Boy, are YOU right!

[kellygrrrl]

what time will Bu$h be giving credit to MkKain for this rescue?

Welcome Home and best wishes to these rescued souls