BOGOTA, Colombia – Ingrid Betancourt, back home in Colombia for the first time since her July rescue, said Saturday that she would spend the week visiting South American leaders to thank them for their efforts to secure her release.
Betancourt, who met with President Alvaro Uribe after arriving from Europe, said that though she is "neither a mediator nor a facilitator" she would do her all to try to secure freedom for the rebel-held hostages she left behind in Colombia's jungles.
"Contacts are frozen and a way has to be found to reach the FARC," she said of the leftist Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, which kidnapped and held her for six years.
The world's most celebrated former hostage also told a news conference that she was thrilled by U.S. President-elect Barack Obama victory and has met with members of his transition team.
"I'm not sure that Obama knows much about Latin America," said the former presidential candidate, chuckling. "But I have the hope that President Obama encounters in Latin America interlocutors who open his heart."
She said it was important that the United States continue its close friendship with Colombia — Obama has expressed concerns about continued killings of union activists and other human rights violations — because that sends an important message to the FARC.
She did not comment on whether she believes U.S. military aid should be continued at current levels. It has been key in putting the FARC on the defensive and contributed to her bloodless July 2 rescue along with three U.S. military contractors, when military intelligence agents duped their captors into airlifting them from the jungle in helicopters.
Betancourt said she didn't think such a bold deception could now be repeated.
"Taking into account the situation of my comrades I think a military operation would have a bloody outcome," she said.
The FARC now holds 28 high-value hostages, including politicians, soldiers and police.
Betancourt, 47, said she regretted not being able to take part in Friday's marches against kidnapping in Colombia. The dual French national said security concerns prevented it but she would not offer details on death threats that she said were forcing her to keep details of her itinerary secret.
In addition to visiting Ecuador, Brazil, Argentina, Peru, Chile, Bolivia and Venezuela this week, Betancourt said she planned to go to Mexico before the year's end.
Betancourt carried a letter from Nicolas Sarkozy in which the French president vowed to continue efforts to secure hostage releases in Colombia and grant asylum to a rebel who escorted a hostage to freedom last month.
