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Bogota, Jan 18 (AP): Colombian politician Ingrid Betancourt, who was held as a hostage for six years by Colombia’s largest guerrilla group, mentioned on Tuesday that she might be working for her nation’s presidency.
The announcement comes virtually 20 years after Betancourt was kidnapped by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia whereas additionally campaigning for the nation’s high workplace for the Inexperienced Oxygen Social gathering, a motion she based whereas she was a congresswoman.
“At present I’m right here to complete off what I began with a lot of you in 2002” Betancourt mentioned in a convention room the place she introduced her candidacy.
“I’m right here to say the rights of 51 million Colombians who are usually not discovering justice, as a result of we reside in a system designed to reward criminals.” Betancourt’s run for the presidency begins months after different candidates have already been travelling by means of the nation to marketing campaign for the workplace, together with Gustavo Petro, a leftist former mayor of Bogota who’s presently forward in polls and has tapped into widespread frustration with corruption and financial inequalities which have soared in the course of the pandemic.
Some critics questioned whether or not she may make an affect on the presidential elections that might be held in Could. However others mentioned her marketing campaign may additionally enhance curiosity within the centrist coalition of political parities that might be working a major in March to pick their presidential candidate.
Within the major Betancourt will compete towards half a dozen candidates who’ve been extra just lately concerned in Colombian politics however have struggled in opinion polls.
Betancourt’s story is well-known in Colombia. She spent six years in guerrilla camps deep within the Amazon jungle, the place generally insurgent fighters would tie her to a tree with metallic chains to stop her from escaping.
Her proof of life movies, through which she requested officers to research the circumstances that led to her personal kidnapping, after which pleaded with the federal government to renew peace talks with the FARC rebels had been aired broadly in Colombia and overseas.
The politician turned a logo of worldwide campaigns searching for peace talks in Colombia and the liberation of FARC hostages. However her time in captivity resulted in 2008 by means of a army operation, the place Colombian troopers disguised as humanitarian staff snatched Betancourt and several other different hostages from the FARC with out firing a single bullet.
Betancourt withdrew from public life after being freed spending a lot of her time with household in France.
However she returned to Colombia’s political scene final yr because the nation ready for elections that might be held in Could. Whereas saying her run for the presidency Betancourt mentioned she would combat to finish impunity for corrupt politicians whereas addressing financial disparities which have lengthy stricken Colombia, the place protests towards inequality shook up native politics final yr.
“My story is the story of all Colombians,” Betancourt, 60, mentioned. “Whereas me and my colleagues had been chained by the neck, Colombian households had been chained by corruption, violence and injustice.” “Whereas our captors disadvantaged us of meals, mafiosi and politicians continued to steal and waste our sources with out caring for kids who go with out breakfast right here in Colombia.” Betancourt might be as soon as once more working as a candidate for the Inexperienced Oxygen social gathering, which is now a part of a coalition of centrist political actions that can maintain a major in March.
Within the major, Betancourt must compete towards youthful candidates who’re much less identified internationally, however have been extra lively in Colombian politics lately.
They embrace Sen. Juan Manuel Galan, whose father was murdered within the late eighties whereas working for the presidency and Alejandro Gaviria, a former well being minister who helped to implement a authorities ban on the aerial fumigation of coca crops. Sergio Fajardo, a former mayor of Medellin who positioned third within the 2018 presidential election, may also compete towards Betancourt within the major.
Sergio Guzman, a political threat analyst in Bogota, mentioned that with greater than a dozen candidates nonetheless competing for Colombia’s presidency and simply two months left till the primaries, it will likely be tough for Betancourt to make an affect.
“She represents reconciliation” and different points that had been vital throughout earlier elections, like the necessity for Colombia’s authorities to make peace with armed teams, Guzman mentioned. However these are usually not the principle points that voters are involved with on this election, in keeping with polls.
“The primary feeling now amongst voters is certainly one of frustration with a system that doesn’t present alternatives” Guzman mentioned. “And there are different candidates who’ve been doing a very good job tapping into that feeling.” Yann Basset a political science professor at Bogota’s Rosario College mentioned that Betancourt’s marketing campaign may enhance curiosity within the heart coalition’s major, the place the remainder of the candidates are “white higher class males” that haven’t generated “enthusiasm” amongst voters.
“It provides the coalition one thing new to supply” Basset mentioned.
Polls are presently led by Gustavo Petro, who backed protests towards proposed tax hikes and inequality final yr, and mentioned he’ll cease granting exploration contracts to grease corporations as a part of a plan to lower the Colombia’s dependency on oil revenues.
The second hottest candidate in polls is Rodolfo Hernandez, an actual property tycoon and former mayor of town of Bucaramanga, who has promised to brush corrupt bureaucrats out of workplace and likewise mentioned in a gathering with the U.S. ambassador to Colombia that he wish to legalize medicine, as a part of an effort to scale back violence within the nation.
The FARC, which kidnapped Ingrid Betancourt again in 2002 and lengthy financed their operations with drug cash, signed a peace take care of Colombia’s authorities in 2016.
However insurgent teams just like the Nationwide Liberation Military and FARC holdout teams who refused to signal the peace deal proceed to combat over drug trafficking routes, unlawful mines and different property in rural pockets of the nation the place homicides and the compelled displacement of civilians have elevated.
Betancourt mentioned she would combat criminality and show that Colombia can “change its course.” She added that each week her followers could be invited to “have a beer” together with her at her marketing campaign headquarters.
“We’ll break up the fee” she mentioned, after she was requested about who would decide up the tab. (AP) CPS
(This story is revealed as a part of the auto-generated syndicate wire feed. No enhancing has been accomplished within the headline or the physique by ABP Stay.)
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