McCain on trip to Colombia, welcomes hostages' rescue (Roundup)

Americas News

Jul 3, 2008, 1:02 GMT

Bogota - US Republican presidential candidate John McCain, who Wednesday was in Colombia on an election trip to Latin America, welcomed the dramatic rescue of 14 hostages held for years by leftist rebels there. Colombian troops rescued former Colombian presidential candidate Ingrid Bentancourt and 14 other hostages, including three Americans, who had been held by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). 'Three Americans are now free and Ingrid Betancourt is now in good condition. I'm pleased with the success of this very high-risk operation,' McCain said in a statement, after speaking with Colombian President Alvaro Uribe by telephone. He met with Uribe and other government leaders on Tuesday evening, and the Colombians briefed him on the upcoming operation, the statement said. 'So I congratulate President Uribe, the military and the nation of Colombia. It is great news,' McCain added. 'Now we must renew our efforts to free all of the other innocent people held hostage.' Uribe and McCain also discussed trade and drug trafficking on the candidate's first leg of a journey to Latin America ahead of November elections. McCain has advocated a US free trade agreement with Colombia that is being held up by the Democrat-controlled Congress, and which his Democratic rival Barack Obama has opposed. 'I also think it's important for our economy to maintain a free - to pass a free trade agreement between ourselves and Colombia. Colombia is our largest agricultural market in the southern hemisphere,' McCain told US broadcaster ABC in an interview from Colombia on Wednesday. Obama's campaign called McCain's visit 'a photo op' that continued the Bush administration's policies in Latin America, but said the Democratic candidate would also like to visit the region. It did not specify a date for a possible trip. In a statement, Obama also celebrated the news of the hostages' release. I join with the families and the American people in celebrating the wonderful news that these three American citizens Marc Gonsalves, Thomas Howes, and Keith Stansell have been released from the terrorist organization that held them hostage for so many years, along with former Colombian presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt and 11 other Colombian hostages,' he said, adding his support for future efforts to defeat FARC. On Wednesday, McCain met with business leaders and decorated several Marines injured in combat at the Naval Hospital in Cartagena and continued his trip by travelling to Mexico City.

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