PARIS (AP) — France said today it is working with Spain and Switzerland to get medical help for Ingrid Betancourt, a former politician being held hostage by Colombian rebels.
According to her son, she may be within hours of death if she doesn’t get a blood transfusion.
Betancourt — who is both French and Colombian — is among hundreds of hostages held by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, but her release has become a cause celebre in France.
The former Colombian presidential candidate has been held in a jungle for more than six years.
“A humanitarian mission of three facilitator countries, Spain, France and Switzerland, has started, in liaison with concerned authorities,” French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s office said in a brief statement.
Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said a doctor was among those on the mission. No other details were immediately released, underscoring the delicacy of the international effort.
Yesterday, Sarkozy appealed directly to the leader of FARC, Manuel Marulanda, for Betancourt’s freedom, saying that without proper care her death was “imminent.” His appeal was televised and subtitled in Spanish.
Betancourt’s son, Lorenzo Delloye, told reporters in Paris today that his mother is suffering from hepatitis B and a skin disease that necessitate a blood transfusion “in the coming hours” or she could lose her life.
“This is my last appeal. There’s no more time. Either we free mom and the other hostages or we’ll lose them, and that’s a question of hours,” Delloye said at a news conference.
He said he had received the information about his mother’s ailing health from a former FARC hostage, Luis Eladio Perez, who spent part of his captivity with Betancourt. Delloye did not give further details, including the date of Perez’ last contact with Betancourt.
Betancourt’s health was further complicated by a hunger strike she undertook in February, Delloye claimed. He warned that knowing her, she would “keep going until the end.”
Delloye said the mission is aimed at giving her urgent medical care then trying to win her freedom. He said he hoped it would also result in the release of other ailing hostages.
Colombia has agreed to allow the mission to try to access the jungle hideaway where Betancourt is being held, agreeing to suspend military operations in any area where the envoys might travel.
A spokesman for the International Committee of the Red Cross’ Colombia branch said it was unable to provide information on Betancourt’s health because its representatives had not been invited to visit rebel camps.
“As to whether or not she is dead or alive, the ICRC has simply not visited Ingrid Betancourt and we do not have further information on her condition,” Yves Heller told reporters in Geneva, Switzerland.
Betancourt’s son told the FARC leader that all eyes were on him now.
“Commander Marulanda, the whole world is watching you. It’s up to you to decide if you are going to go down as a war criminal who should be treated accordingly, or if you want to go down in (history) books as a man,” he said.
Delloye said “certain information” indicated Betancourt’s captors were holed up in the dense jungles of southeastern Colombia.
French officials have said they had maintained contact with at least one FARC leader — Raul Reyes, but he was killed last month in a Colombian cross-border strike on a rebel base in Ecuador.
French authorities have extended an offer to welcome rebel prisoners freed by Colombia in any eventual prisoner-hostage swap deal for Betancourt. Prime Minister Francois Fillon last week reiterated the offer, first put forth in December.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.