Ex-hostages: Betancourt is “very, very sick”

Ingrid Betancourt is in very weak health and should be liberated as soon as possible from her guerilla captors, according to several Colombian ex-hostages freed yesterday. The French-Colombian politician has been held captive by the FARC for over six years and has faced absolutely barbaric conditions:

One, Luis Eladio Perez told reporters: "It hurts my soul, she is very bad, very, very sick. She is exhausted physically and in her morale.

"Ingrid is mistreated very badly, they have vented their anger on her, they have her chained up in inhumane conditions."

Another, Gloria Polanco, told President Chavez: "I ask you to fight for the release of Ingrid Betancourt really soon, she is very ill, president, very ill. She has recurrent Hepatitis B and is near the end."

After receiving the ex-hostages, Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez reminded FARC commanders that Betancourt’s situation is “very delicate” and suggested that they try to find a way to free her. Meanwhile, French president Nicolas Sarkozy called for Betancourt’s immediate release and said that he would be willing to go to Colombia and “receive her.”

Aside from talking about Betancourt, Eladio Perez added that three U.S. contractors held captive in Colombia are “sick [and] weak” and are under threat of spending decades in the jungle.

Image- Telegraph.co.uk

Sources (English)- The Latin Americanist, Voice of America, BBC News, Associated Press

Sources (Spanish)- El Tiempo, Noticias Caracol