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Q&A: Colombia hostage situation Q&A: Colombia hostage situation
(about 4 hours later)
Left-wing Farc rebels in Colombia have kidnapped hundreds of people in the past decade. Their highest-profile hostage, Ingrid Betancourt, was rescued on 2 July after the rebel group was infiltrated and tricked into handing her and 14 others over to the army. However, hundreds of hostages remain in captivity in the Colombian jungle. Ingrid Betancourt's rescue in 2008 made international news
Who has been released? The abduction of people, either for political reasons or for ransom, has been common in Colombia in recent decades, earning the country notoriety as the kidnap centre of the world.
Ingrid Betancourt, a French-Colombian politician, was running for president when she was kidnapped in 2002. By 2001, it was estimated that some 3,000 people were being seized each year by armed groups and drug-traffickers.
Joy at Ingrid Betancourt's rescue but many hostages remain in rebel handsShe was freed with 14 others in a daring undercover military operation. Since then, kidnappings have declined, although the exact number of people still in captivity is disputed.
The released hostages included three American military contractors - Marc Gonsalves, Thomas Howes and Keith Stansell and 11 members of Colombia's security forces. How many people are being held hostage?
Ms Betancourt's family had galvanised a high-profile media campaign to push for her release, and French President Nicolas Sarkozy said her liberation was a foreign policy priority. According to Fondelibertad, a department attached to the defence ministry and responsible for co-ordinating anti-kidnapping efforts, 79 people were definitely in captivity as of February 2010.
Previous attempts to negotiate her freedom, with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez as a go-between, had failed. There had been increasing concerns for her health, too, after reports that she was seriously ill. Fondelibertad said their research showed from the 2,717 cases recorded in 2007:
Ms Betancourt's aide, Clara Rojas, who was kidnapped with her, was released in January 2008, as was ex-congresswoman Consuelo Gonzalez.
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  • 1,148 people had been freed
  • 211 had died
  • 614 cases were unclear
  • 744 cases involved forced disappearance rather than kidnapping.
What does it mean for President Alvaro Uribe? Their figures have been disputed by non-governmental organisations involved in monitoring kidnappings. Pais Libre and Nueva Esperanza said the dramatic drop in the kidnap figure was hard to believe.
The successful military operation to rescue Ms Betancourt is an undoubted coup for the president, whose father was killed by Farc rebels in a kidnap attempt 20 years ago. Do we have any idea of who is being held?
It could not have come at a better time, as he faces political difficulties at home. Guerrillas from the left-wing Revolutionary Armed Force of Colombia (Farc) are known to be holding 24 police officers and soldiers who they have long wanted to exchange for several hundred jailed guerrillas.
Although very popular for his hardline stance against the rebels, President Uribe been facing calls for an investigation into the legality of his re-election in 2006. These hostages include people held for more than a decade; for example, soldier Pablo Emilio Moncayo, then 19, was captured in 1997. His father, Gustavo, class="inlineText" href="/2/hi/americas/6927098.stm">walked across Colombia in chains in 2007 to highlight the suffering of the hostages.
A former politician had been convicted of taking a bribe to support the constitutional reform that granted Mr Uribe an unprecedented second term, and Congress is investigating whether Mr Uribe was directly involved in the bribery. He denies any wrongdoing. Is there any chance of releases soon?
What does it mean for the Farc? Farc rebels have previously announced plans to hand over some hostages. In April 2009, they spoke about freeing Pablo Emilio Moncayo and another soldier, Josue Daniel Calvo. Recently there have been further indications that the guerrillas may be preparing to hand the two over, along with the remains of a hostage who died in captivity.
The Farc have lost their major bargaining chips in their calls for the government to exchange high-profile hostages for jailed rebels. They have also, especially in the case of Ingrid Betancourt and the three US citizens, lost their principal diplomatic weapon to force the government into making concessions. Hostages have been set free in the past?
Prior to the rescue operation, the rebels were believed to be at their weakest point in years, following the death of their long-time leader, Manuel Marulanda, in March. Yes. The Farc has unilaterally freed some hostages. In February 2009, several hostages, including four member of the armed forces and class="inlineText" href="/2/hi/americas/7872942.stm">two politicians were freed.
The past six months have also been marked by the loss of other leaders, infiltration of rebel ranks and a record number of desertions. In January 2008, former congresswoman Consuelo Gonzalez and Clara Rojas, who was an aide to former presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt, were released after several years in guerrilla hands.
The daring military operation that released the hostages is not likely to improve morale. Ms Rojas was class="inlineText" href="/2/hi/americas/7186460.stm">subsequently reunited with her young son who was born in captivity. What is the government's position on hostages?
However, it does not necessarily mean the rebels will take up the government's call to release all the other hostages and begin serious peace moves. Colombian President Alvaro Uribe, who first came to office in 2002 and is due to complete his final term in August, has refused to accept the Farc's conditions for swapping hostages, which include pulling back troops to create a safe haven.
What of the remaining hostages? He has argued that this would allow the Farc to regroup and re-arm.
Hundreds of Colombians remain captives of the Farc, and some have spent more than a decade being held in the jungle. Gustavo Moncayo wears chains to symbolise his son's long captivity There have however been occasions when the security forces have suspended operations to allow a handover of hostages.
Most are ordinary Colombians, taken hostage for ransom, but a few dozen are so-called "exchangeables" - hostages with a high-enough profile that they form part of mooted prisoner exchange deals with the government. What about operations to free hostages?
One such hostage is Sigifredo Lopez, the only survivor of a group of 12 politicians who were killed by Farc rebels in 2002. The class="inlineText" href="/2/hi/americas/7486552.stm">most dramatic and high-profile operation was in July 2008 when 15 hostages were rescued without a shot being fired after rebels holding them were tricked into handing them over.
The fear is that Ms Betancourt's release means that interest in their plight will dwindle. Pablo Emilio Moncayo was seen in a video that surfaced in 2007
Whatever the repercussions of her rescue, their chances of freedom seem as remote as ever. They included Ingrid Betancourt, a French-Colombian politician, who was running for president when she was kidnapped in 2002.
What now for Ingrid Betancourt? Also among the group were three American military contractors - Marc Gonsalves, Thomas Howes and Keith Stansell - and 11 members of Colombia's security forces.
Ms Betancourt has called for the release of all the remaining hostages in Colombia, and it is possible she might devote her energies towards campaigning for their freedom. It was a major blow for the Farc to lose such high-profile hostages. Prior to the rescue operation, the rebels were believed to be at their weakest point in years, following the death of their long-time leader, Manuel Marulanda, in March 2008.
With her profile much higher than it was before her kidnapping, it is also possible that she might return to politics ahead of the 2010 presidential election. So is the era of hostage-taking largely over?
On the day of her release, she thanked her former political rival President Alvaro Uribe - who, unless the constitution is changed, will not be able to stand for re-election - and said he has been "a very good president". It is clear that overall violence has lessened in recent years. But the Farc has shown it can still carry out attacks.
She added: "I continue to aspire to serve Colombia as president." In December, a provincial governor was kidnapped in Caqueta, long a stronghold of the Farc, and found a day later with his throat slit.
A couple of weeks later, Farc said it had carried out the attack.
Although most of the focus falls on the Farc, kidnappings are also carried out by other armed groups as well as criminal gangs.
Does the plight of the hostages still resonate in Colombia after so many years?
Definitely. Colombian radio stations run programmes in which family members and friends can send messages they hope their kidnapped relatives will hear.
And any development, such as reported moves towards any releases, are covered extensively by Colombian media.