Colombians march for freedom

Thousands of Colombians took to the streets today calling for the liberation of their countrymen in the jungle. Though the turnout was far less than in similar marches held earlier this year, protestors still rallied in solidarity with those held against their will by armed illegal groups.

According to one estimate there are roughly 2800 people held hostage in Colombia; a quarter of which were kidnapped by the FARC guerillas.

Numerous former hostages took part in the rallies that were called for in October by ex-detainee Ingrid Betancourt. At a rally in Madrid, Spain she urged the FARC to lay down their arms and peacefully free the hostages:

“Are thoughts are with those hostages who are probably chained to trees and living in humiliation. We carry their cross and the chains that we hope will soon break…”

“Ours is a chain of love to free the hostages” added Betancourt… - [ed. personal translation]

Aside from Madrid, smaller protests took place in other international locales like Caracas and New York.

Image- El Espectador
Sources- The Latin Americanist, El Tiempo, IHT, Colombia Reports, Bloomberg