I suppose that this piece of news should be put in the "Ripley's believe it or not" section. Former FARC kidnap victim Ingrid Betancourt has suddenly decided to sue the Colombian State for the a few million dollars because according to the plaintiff, the Colombian State is responsible for the FARC taking her as hostage.
According to Semana, the Betancourt family suffered from hardship (Imagine that!) and thus they feel in their right to ask for 6.5 Million dollars through a "conciliation" reunion to avoid a trial. Yeah, right.....
The basis for the Betancourt family (apparently lead in this case by the mother who is a declared enemy of Uribe) is that some military officers told the then presidential candidate to go to that San Vicente de Caguan meeting, leading her to the fateful FARC encounter.
Unfortunately for the Betancourt mafia (can we call it otherwise after such a frivolous law suit?) there is ample evidence that higher folks in the administration had advised against campaigning n such areas, and that Betancourt was the only presidential candidate that went there anyway. So, are we supposed to believe that some local army staff had a better general knowledge of the situation than the people in Bogota, who were proven right at any rate? But if memory serves me well I remember some post liberation interview where Ingrid was asked point blank about that trip. In that interview Ingrid admits that she had a lots of doubt but that she decided that it was worth taking the risk. The ministry of defense just needs to dig out that interview or some related material and voila! end of lawsuit!
But let's not go into such asinine detail nitpicking. The fact of the matter is that whatever fault the Colombian State might have made at the time when Ingrid became the crown jewel of the FARC, the Army more than made up for it when it planned and carried the daring "Jaque" operation. For which, by the way, Ms. Betancourt is on record for thanking profusely.
Now, let's not forget one thing: Ingrid Betancourt had presidential ambitions and presented herself as a potential Statesman. If indeed she is presidential timber she should never be associated with such a frivolous law suit. Period. If she does not distance herself from that, pronto, she can forget about any political future in Colombia. Then again this does not seem to be the objective for her as the gilded Paris salons seem to be of her predilection these days, and of course, you need money to hang around there and be the talk of the evening.
Sometimes truth becomes stranger than fiction and when I wrote my "South Colombia" Broadway parody I must have intuited that Ingrid was just that, a musical comedy character. Let's also remember some unpleasant gossip coming about her years in the jungle.
Come on Ingrid! You have to be able to do better than that!
How low can this woman fall?
ReplyDeleteHaving read several reports of her behavior whilst a captive, her kow-towing to Chavez, and now this, I have nothing but contempt for this woman.
ReplyDeletePlaying a little bit devil's advocate here, though I had already expressed my doubts about the wisdom of Ingrid Betancourt.
ReplyDeleteI think this is mostly the work of the mother and maybe the kids. They have nothing but resentment about Colombia and must have been filling the head of Ingrid with their heavily lopsided version of events, fired up by a certain Parisian intelligentsia that sees pretty much anything outside of Europe as "natives" and good savages at best.
It is possible that Ingrid decided to go along such a crass scheme that ruins her politically at home because, well, she has decided never to come back to Colombia for good, admitting that all along she was more French than Colombian. With the possible return of De Villepin (former teacher, former lover?) to the French Political scene she might be preparing her moves to enter French Politics which automatically bars her from any political future in Colombia.
I still think it is an error for her as any future political opponent of hers could use that lack of fairness argument against her in some campaign (I would) be it in France or Colombia. But it is the most charitable explication I can find, painting her as a cold hearted bitch rather than a silly empty head, easily manipulated. If it were me I certainly would prefer to be seen in politics as a bitch than as a bimbo.....
If La Betancourt is looking for damages, La Betancourt should be suing the organization that kidnapped her. The FARC certainly has the funds to compensate her: everybody NOSE that. Here is some information on international representatives of the FARC.
ReplyDeleteThe three individuals designated are identified as key members of the FARC's International Commission: Omar Arturo Zabala Padilla (alias "Lucas Gualdron"), Maria Remedios Garcia Albert (alias "Soraya" and "Irene"), and Vlaudin Rodrigo Vega (alias "Carlos Vlaudin"). These International Commission members represent the FARC in France, Italy, Switzerland, Spain, and Australia.
As representatives of the FARC and members of its International Commission, these individuals work abroad to obtain recruits, support, and protection for the FARC's acts of narcotics trafficking and terrorism. Omar Arturo Zabala Padilla, the FARC's International Commission member for France, Italy and Switzerland, directs nearly 80% of the FARC's activities in Europe, which include contacts with other terrorist groups and arms deals. Maria Remedios Garcia Albert, the FARC's International Commission member for Spain, a key liaison between the leadership of the FARC and its supporters based in Europe, was arrested by Spanish authorities on July 26, 2008 and later released pending trial.
Files recovered from the computer of Raul Reyes, a top FARC leader who was killed by Colombian forces in a March 2008 raid, noted the "special support" of Vlaudin Rodrigo Vega, the FARC's International Commission member for Australia.
La Betancourt should take one or several of those FARC representatives to court in Europe or Australia.
The government warned her not to go where she did, because of the risk of kidnapping. She ignored the warnings, and paid the price, and now wants to make the government pay the price. Lovely.
If De Villepin is connected with her, that would be very fitting: everyone’s favorite Napoleon-worshipping peace lover would go very well with La Betancourt.
If it were me I certainly would prefer to be seen in politics as a bitch than as a bimbo.
Her mother was a beauty queen, and you know what they say about beautiful women and such.Sarah? :)
Here is what Wikipedia says.
She was kidnapped during her political campaign when she tried to go into an area of Colombia, the size of Switzerland, which was demilitarised as part of a government agreement with the guerrillas as part of a process known as Plan Colombia. She was warned of the dangers and decided to go by herself with a team. Recently she has back stabbed the Colombian nation, by suing the state for 15 thousand million pesos for the moral and material damages caused by the kidnapping.
For once, I agree with Wikipedia.
Her hypocrisy even made headlines in Sweden. So I have a heard time seeing that they would treat her nicely in France from now on? I'm guessing it's there she spends most of her time? When she is not preparing any lawsuits and what not.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.dn.se/nyheter/varlden/ingrid-betancourt-stammer-colombia-1.1135775
It is quite well documented that she is the author of her own misfortune. The security apparatus of Colombia warned her not to go in FARC territory, but she thought she was an anointed one beyond reach. Well, served her right. Hope she goes on with her suit, she will loose and will have (I hope) to pay court costs. Will serve her right once again.
ReplyDeleteFrivolous lawsuits for frivolous types.
ReplyDeleteCertainly Ingrid feels automatically entitled.Just look at the smug and arrogant look she usually has on her face.
Narcissists have normal, even superior, intellectual development while remaining emotionally and morally immature.
ojo:
They are very resistant to taking the blame for their own misbehavior and feel entitled.She obviously does NOT take the blame for her past mistakes which is why she complies with a law suit of this .
The reasons for what they( narcissists) do are not the same as normal reasons. Giving them the chance to apologize and make amends for their behavior which is what she should have done with her family only make matters worse in the mind of a narcissist.
All this is just about perfect for your typical politician.
Well she will just have to stand in line which she can do unlike most of the 8000 landmine victims who can't even get disability from the government much less the FARC.
ReplyDeleteRoger
ReplyDeletenice detail! If what you say is true she is even more reckless and out of touch as we thought in the above comments! She could have directed her energies to the land mine victims and announce the law suit as a way to force the government to give the 6.5 millions to land mine victims.
She is quite a piece of work, is she no!
This is only speculation on my part, so I could be very wrong, but my guess is that her main motive is money. Greed. Even most of those who sympathized with her ordeal agree that she was kidnapped because of her own mistake (some said it was hubris, others said it was naivete.) She would have gained moral standing by acknowledging her share of responsibility as well as her moral weaknesses during her undoubtedly horrendous and long captivity. By not accepting her share of responsibility, by not leaving Colombia, and now by suing the government for millions of dollars, I doubt she's planning a political comeback.
ReplyDeletehere is my source http://colombiareports.com/colombia-news/news/7155-no-disability-pension-for-land-mine-victims-in-colombia.html
ReplyDeleteI must say that the concept taking a LatAm country to court for not providing a safe and humane country does have possibilities!
Daniel, that person is more despicable than you think.
ReplyDeleteI read now she declared crying that she was sorry she had asked for the 5.5 million euros.
http://www.spiegel.de/politik/ausland/0,1518,705916,00.html
She just saw she was destroying her political hopes and that hurt her more than the possibility of getting enough money to go shopping.
She says among other things she just wanted to set an example.
That person has always, always given me a bad impression. I read some details about how her trip to that area was...there is no way she can be excused, they warned her over and over again. Ella es de lo último.
Betancourt had a near martyr figure in French speaking Europe. I hope they crucify her now.
This is a good link.
ReplyDeleteLa Juana de Arcas
http://www.elpais.com/articulo/internacional/Colombia/clama/indignada/Ingrid/Betancourt/elpepuint/20100712elpepuint_1/Tes
Ingrid:
ReplyDeleteDifícilmente podría encabezar esta carta con un “respetada” o “apreciada”, dado que su condición actual frente a los colombianos no da para tanta diplomacia.
Bien complicado es para una ciudadana normal como yo, digerir sin indigestarse su última gran idea que tiene convulsionada, indignada y asqueada a la opinión pública. Me encantaría realmente poder hablarle de frente y expresarle la profunda antipatía que millones de colombianos estamos sintiendo por usted. Pero gracias a internet, estoy absolutamente segura de que terminará leyéndome, quizá en la intimidad de su habitación o tal vez frente a sus igualmente desvergonzadas madre y hermana.
Quiero decirle que no solamente estamos viéndola como el ícono del cinismo y la desfachatez si no también como la prueba fehaciente de que su oportunismo no tiene límites y de que la vergüenza no es una palabra que usted conozca en ningún idioma. Y, una vez más, como en ese febrero de 2.002, usted se equivocó. Si señora, se equivocó de cabo a rabo, porque los colombianos unidos hemos demostrado que no nos arredramos ante ningún tipo de delincuencia. Y usted es una vulgar delincuente oportunista. Más chanchullera terminó siendo que sus captores. Por lo menos con esos terroristas sabemos a qué atenernos, pero no hay nada peor que la condición subterránea de quien aparenta decencia y es solamente un vulgar y desvergonzado ladrón.
Que usted necesite plata es una cosa y otra bien distinta es que quiera arrebatársela al más pendejo. Demandar al Estado colombiano por su secuestro y sus consecuencias es algo que solamente cabe en su cabeza y en la de las dos hienas femeninas que la acolitan. De dónde sacó usted que los impuestos que pagamos los colombianos deben ir a su cuenta bancaria en retribución por su irresponsabilidad y sus ansias de protagonismo? ¿Cómo llegó usted a la conclusión de que la gratitud por un rescate que usted calificó como “perfecto” es traicionando a un país que marchó por usted y lloró de alegría el día en que el Ejército Nacional de Colombia la trajo a la libertad sin haber disparado un solo tiro? Dígale a su mami que es mejor quedar mal que quedar peor y que así quietecitas como estaban en Francia, era mejor. A los colombianos ya se nos estaba olvidando el show de odio y de mentiras que ella montó contra Colombia a causa de su absurda terquedad. También se nos estaba olvidando que fue usted misma quien propició su secuestro, empeñándose en ir a donde las fuerzas de seguridad le advirtieron no ir.
Su afrancesado talante no nos convenció nunca, Ingrid. Usted fue colombiana hasta que le convino y se convirtió en ciudadana francesa para que su familia pudiera denigrar de Colombia y su gobierno hasta el cansancio. No se nos olvida que rajaron de todo el mundo menos de los que la secuestraron. No se nos olvida que agradecieron a Chávez, Correa y Kirchner y lánguidamente a Uribe que fue el promotor de su libertad.
MARITZA CASTRILLON SILVA
CIUDADANA COLOMBIANA