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Guerrillas Hold Colombian Candidate
Monday, February 25, 2002
(10:23 AM ET)
By Juan Pablo Toro
Associated Press Writer

Pastrana's government suggested Betancourt had been “irresponsible” for traveling into the war zone from the southern city of Florencia. Officials had warned her not to go.

SAN VICENTE del CAGUAN, Colombia -- AP
A presidential candidate who accused guerrilla leaders of drug trafficking was being held hostage by the rebel group in southern Colombia's war zone -- apparently to trade for rebel prisoners, the interior minister said Monday.

The government said it received a communiqué claiming Ingrid Betancourt would be held until captured guerrillas are freed by the government, Interior Minister Armando Estrada Villa said. He told RCN radio that officials were trying to authenticate the statement, which carried the name of Joaquin Gomez, a spokesman for the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia.

Betancourt and her campaign manager, Clara Rojas, were kidnapped at a roadblock as they were driving toward San Vicente del Caguan, a rebel town occupied by government troops Saturday, campaign officials confirmed on Sunday.

The statement said the guerrillas, known as the FARC, had added Betancourt to a list of hostages to be presented to the next Colombian government in hopes the government would release hundreds of rebel prisoners, Estrada Villa said. The FARC has said it won't negotiate with President Andres Pastrana after he canceled peace talks last week and will wait until Pastrana's term ends in August.
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2002 © The Associated Press.

Dan