Paris - The liberation of Franco-Colombian politician Ingrid
Betancourt was the result of long and complex negotiations, and not a
spectacular 'Hollywood' ploy, the French online news daily MediaPart
reported on Monday.
The negotiations that led to the release last Wednesday of
Betancourt and 14 other hostages began with an offer by Colombian
authorities to some leaders of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of
Colombia (FARC) to liberate the hostages in exchange for immunity and
money, MediaPart said.
According to the report, one of two FARC commanders in charge of
the hostages - they are named Aguilar and Gafas - opened indirect
contact with Colombian authorities on March 20 to ask for details
about the offer, which involved money and asylum in either Venezuela
or France.
As sources for its report MediaPart cited local journalists and
close associates of Ingrid Betancourt's former party, Oxygeno Verge
(Oxygen Green Party), which ceased to function in 2005 due largely to
Betancourt's abduction.
Last week, MediaPart and the Swiss radio station Radio Suisse
Romande had reported that the FARC released the hostages in exchange
for the payment of a large ransom.
The negotiations between those who controlled the hostages and the
Colombian Army were 'particularly tortuous,' MediaPart reported, and
succeeded largely because of the intervention of a Catholic priest
who had already served as intermediary between authorities and
rebels.
After agreement was reached, the rebels were able to procure
medicines and food for the hostages, which explains Betancourt's
surprisingly good condition after six-and-a-half years in jungle
captivity.
MediaPart said the FARC commanders were eager to improve the
health of their hostages because they were afraid that they would be
deprived of their part of the bargain if they delivered them in bad
physical condition.
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