Colombia: kidnapped politician may have been sent out of the country

Kidnapped politician and former presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt may have been sent to another country, according to President Alvaro Uribe. "It is a possibility we have been studying," said Uribe yesterday to French reporters, though he did not provide any specific details.

Calls for Betancourt’s release have come from supporters in Colombia as well as France (e.g. presidential candidate Segolene Royal) where Betancourt also holds citizenship. This Friday will be the 5-year anniversary of Betancourt’s kidnapping along with campaign manager Clara Rojas; both were captured by guerillas of the FARC while Betancourt was running for president.

Speaking of kidnapped politicians, remember Fernando Araujo- the former minister who escaped from his captors in January after being kidnapped for six years? Earlier this week he was named as Colombia’s new Foreign Minister after the previous one resigned a week ago.

Update (February 23, 2007): Juan Carlos Lacompte- Ingrid Betancourt's husband- deemed Uribe's claims as "ridiculous" and deceiving public opinion in Colombia and abroad. (Link in Spanish and via RCN Radio).

Links- Reuters AlertNet, International Herald Tribune, The Latin Americanist, TIME, Wikipedia

Image- Cinemax (Ingrid Betancourt’s husband holding a picture of her during a rally demanding her release)