FARC and France disagree over Ingrid Betancourt (updated)

Caracas, Venezuela, 4 April 2008. A recent "European" initiative to have Colombian French Ingrid Betancourt released seems to have failed badly. It what now appears to have been a unilateral French move in the hostage release strategy, a humanitarian medical mission was sent to Colombia. It expected to get in contact with FARC there and then. However, as days passed by, there was a sad realization: France and FARC do not look into the eyes at all. Furthermore, Astrid Betancourt, sister of Ingrid, expressed little hope in the success of the French initiative but thanked it anyway.

After the killing of Raul Reyes last month in Ecuador, two prominent FARC members, Rodrigo Granda and Jesus Sanrich, had announced there would be no further unilateral release of hostages; instead FARC proposes a humanitarian deal to exchange prisioners and hostages.  Despite such clarification, France managed to get Spain and Switzerland accompany its humanitarian effort to provide immediate medical assistance to Ingrid Betancourt. Paris also suggested it would be willing to grant political asylum to few FARC members in exchange of the release of hostages. But all this fell in deaf ears at FARC quarters and help boost President Nicolas Sarkozy public image.    

On Thursday, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez claimed the Sarkozy initiative was rather difficult, He also informed of a telephone conversation he had with the French President. Chavez explained how confidence between FARC and France was terribly damaged after Raul Reyes was killed. A telephone conversation held between Reyes and a French negotiator seems to have given clues on his whereabouts in Ecuador. Chavez rejected a request posed by Sarkozy to get in touch with another prominent FARC leader. Instead Chavez suggested Sarkozy to get in touch with American President George W Bush and have him pressure the Colombian government. A new formula was unveiled: Chavez and Sarkozy might travel to Colombia to meet with FARC leader Marulanda at Caguan to negotiate the release of hostages. Accoriding to El Comercio, President Sarkozy is willing to travel to Colombia.  

PS: On Friday afternoon, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez declared he had a new tactical approach towards the release of Ingrid Betancourt. Chavez stated discretion is called for; no more words but deeds, he added. This new and discrete approach is the result of previous blunders. It was a direct phone call to a Colombian general that prompted President Alvaro Uribe to cancel his Humanitarian role. Furthermore, Chavez counts with unskilled hands at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Even though troops had been dispatched to the frontier and commerce with Colombia suspended, his Foreign Minister, Nicolas Maduro, was not even able to lobby for a more meaningful Venezuelan role at the OAS meeting that settled the diplomatic crisis with Ecuador. Venezuela was left alone with the US at the margins of the OAS meeting while the Brazilian diplomatic skills showed off. It is common to have Maduro blame every aspect or event of International Policy on American Imperialism. Confronted with such limitations, there is no wonder Chavez opted for a more discrete and presidential diplomacy. Now, Chavez and Sarkozy might attempt to meet FARC Marulanda. But such meeting needs Colombian government cooperation for the equation to work. Ingrid Betancourt still awaits in the Colombian jungle for her release while there are mounting rumours over her poor health.      

Sources: VTV, El Comercio, El Pais, Telesur, YVKE, BBC Mundo, El Universal, Guardian, Le Figaro, Globovision, Aljazeera,