PARIS (AP) — The president of Argentina, France’s new first lady and the French foreign minister joined marchers who rallied today in Paris to demand freedom for kidnapped Colombian politician Ingrid Betancourt.
Marchers — led by Argentine President Cristina Fernandez and French first lady Carla Bruni-Sarkozy — demonstrated near the Paris Opera to show support for Betancourt, who was taken hostage by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia in 2002 while campaigning for the country’s presidency.
Betancourt is a dual French-Colombian citizen.
Similar demonstrations were organized in about 10 other cities in France, including Nice, Toulouse, Strasbourg and Bordeaux.
The Paris march drew many Cabinet ministers and celebrities. Fernandez attended the march before talks tomorrow with President Nicolas Sarkozy. Others included Paris Mayor Bertrand Delanoe, Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner, Human Rights Minister Rama Yade and Betancourt’s son, Lorenzo Delloye.
Betancourt is said to be gravely ill, suffering from hepatitis B and a ravaging skin disease.
On Wednesday, Sarkozy sent a mission to Colombia that included two doctors in hopes of convincing the rebels holding Betancourt to give her urgent medical care and, ultimately, to free her.
The mission has stalled, with officials unable to establish contact with the rebels.
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