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

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

[JustSaying]

I don't believe in http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/07/02/mccain-fundraiser-oversaw_n_110354.htmlersaw_n_110354.html

[lornejl]

Love is but the song we sing,
And fear's the way we die
You can make the mountains ring
Or make the angels cry
Know the dove is on the wing
And you need not know why

C'mon people now,
Smile on your brother
Ev'rybody get together
Try and love one another right now

[ccpostman]

It is sad that these hostages are used as pawns and were not rescued earlier.

Seems pretty strange that the Colombian Government waited until Senator McCain is there to rescue these people and also brief him before the rescue. Sound like they are sucking up to McCain for brownie points!

Sounds like they knew where these people were stashed for some time, but just waited for the right moment.

Another reason not to trust that Government!

[DrittesReich]

THANK GOD AND GOD BLESS AMERICA! WELCOME HOME ALL OF YOU !!!! WELCOME HOME!!!!

[MPeter]

The real story is how pathetic and shameless McCain colluded with Uribe to try and politicize this--and give McCain's floundering campaig advantage. It kind of reminds you of the deal Reagan had with Iranians not to free American hostages until Reagan had a chance to take political advantage of it. McCSame will still implode.

[sherbug]

Yeah, what a coincidence he's in Columbia today as the POWs were released. I guess any of the 3 Americans that were released today should run for POTUS in 2012. A POW does a President make.

[hannabanana]

god bless America? Just what kind of moron are you?

[meanguy]

i guess drittesreich didn't get the memo from obama's spiritual mentor

[AnnArky]

You're kidding, right? I mean, that's sarcasm, right?

[YellowPanties]

Wait a minute, releasing them is an act of god, but keeping them in captivity for 6 years is not? Huh?

[progresivo]

A nightmare of one courageous woman finally ends, here in Colombia it's one of the best news we have received in a long time, way overdue !!!

[wagonjak]

Surprise, Surprise!!!! This happens just as McSame is visiting Columbia. And CNN reporters announce breathlessly that Mac met with the president and director of security yesterday so they could brief him on the Betancort releases...

It makes him look presidential and burnishes his credentials to work with South American leaders, but...many questions remain.

The whole thing stinks to high heaven of a set up and the coincidence of this happening while ole leatherneck is visiting there is too much to believe...kind of like the American prisoners of the Iranian students being released the day that Reagan came into office. PHEW!

When was Betancort released from the dredful clutches of FARC? And were any members of the Columbian Government knowledgeable and even complicit in her kidnapping and imprisonment. She was apparently writing a book about the complicity of not only the Columbian government, but the US government.

[Chuckwheat]

Her health has been frail for some time; I hope she fully recovers.
I wonder what 'secret arrangement' Pappy Warbucks may have worked?
More war hero stuff...

[nodonjuan]

Gee, this is the best thing to happen since the hostages were freed by Raygun. John the savior.

[luvapetadopt]

Most of the news has been of Ingrid, maybe it is because she is a female, but the three American men have suffered as well. In fact, I have been in touch via email with the mom of one of the hostages....and I just can not imagine how happy she is today. She fought endlessly to try and free her son and the other hostages. Funny how all the news mentions Ingrid by name, but the three men are mentioned as Three Americans.

[530Rose]

As it says in the article, "There was no answer at the homes of American families of the three U.S. hostages." US reporters generally try to wait until the famiies hear really good or really bad news before blaring it all over the world.

Why do you suppose that many US citizens (I don't use the word "American" since technically Ms. Betancourt is also an American) imagine slights where none have occurred? A little cultural paranoia? I for one am thrilled for Ms Betancourt and the other so far un-named captives.

Why in the world would we want to list "the Americans" first and Ms. Betancourt as an aside? No wonder the rest of the world see's us as ethnocentric.

[530Rose]

Oh yeah by the way the article does list the names of the 3 American hostages just not their credentials. They had no business being in someone elses country to begin with, and are lucky FARC didn't just shoot them on the spot for trespassing.

[AdLib]

Boy, sure seemed odd, 0bama campaigning with voters in the US and...hmm...McCaln goes off away from voters and the spotlight to Columbia...then, surprise, surprise, surprise, a high profile story on hostages in Columbia.

Hmm...what president was in office when the Iran hostages were released? And wasn't a Republican president involved in arranging the timing of their release to be politically advantageous?

BOOsh cronies admitted coordinating with the Columbians on this but said the Columbians arranged the details.

Yeah, and BOOsh won Florida.

[mathme]

Reminds me of the Raygun -Carter election time shenanagans.

[cpscscs]

I agree this is obviously not a coincidence. Hostages are freed, McBush visits, Steve Schmidt (a Rove protoge) takes over the campaign all on the same day? Remember all the color-coded terror elevations during the "04 campaign?
Columbian government tells White House which tells Rove who tells Schmidt who arranges the trip to soak up all the unwarranted accolades. But the Repug party would never do anything this devious would they?

[escher123]

I am just happy that they are free. They are celebrations all over the country (local Colombian TV and Radio reports) and I am full of joy for their families. This is a situation that doesn't deserve to be used by anybody for political benefit: We are dealing with people that have not been able to see their families for five, seven, and some of them even ten years. I hope that the people that remain kidnapped in Colombia and the rest of the world can regain their freedom soon.

[che leo]

Very happy news, although I laughed for a good twenty minutes when both CNN & FOX suggested McCain's presence had even the most remote connection with the rescue operation carried out by Colombia. Beyond arrogant.

[southernfried]

and we want trade deals with them?

[blueshield]

Expect Faux news to photoshop 'Rambo' Mc.Cain in fatigues deep in the jungle, leading the rescue. Wotta scoop!

[Mygirl]

Wearing depends.....

[MyThought]

And Bush wants to trade with these people? Disgusting.