Word: colombian
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Dates: during 2000-2009
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...Colombia Freedom From FARC On July 20, the 198th anniversary of Colombian Independence Day, hundreds of thousands marched in cities across the nation to call for the release of hostages held by leftist rebel groups like the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). The guerrilla group--which is said to hold an estimated 700 hostages--has suffered a streak of setbacks this year, including the death of its top two commanders and the July 2 rescue by government forces of Ingrid Betancourt and 14 other hostages. Betancourt herself appeared at a rally in Paris--one of dozens that took place...
...seven days since she emerged from six and a half harrowing years as a FARC hostage in the Colombian jungle, Ingrid Betancourt has been canonized by the media. And Saint Ingrid has responded with inspiring grace and cool. She was feted at a glam-glitz reception by a rapturous Nicolas Sarkozy within hours of touching down in Paris on July 4. The fine features of the Paris-raised Colombian now grace countless magazine covers, replacing the gaunt image that had been prevalent until last week, one taken from a proof-of-life video and hung on city halls across France...
Despite Betancourt's obvious charisma and attractiveness, she had not a fig's chance of winning her 2002 campaign for the Colombian presidency at the time of her kidnapping. Her Green Oxygen Party had only one parliamentarian, who came from the area to which she traveled disastrously the day FARC rebels nabbed her. This past week Betancourt has said she does not know yet when she will return to Colombia, or what exactly her role will be. But she clearly has her eye on returning to Colombian politics, having penned a 190-point program while she was a hostage...
Puig's financial records were a mess, and his accountant was a convicted felon with ties to the Colombian drug kingpin, Pablo Escobar. But that never seemed to bother Puig's investors or lenders, who kept showering him with money as long as condo prices kept soaring. It certainly didn't bother Puig, who explained in a recent deposition that he never paid attention to his books, in part because his expertise was in matters like where to advertise property and whether to paint the doors yellow or white, and in part because he never imagined the Florida housing market...
...they'll kill you, then blame it on us." Whether or not that's true, deaths, drugs and desertions - and now its hostage debacle - have left the FARC with a bigger public relations challenge. It's one that guerrillas like Alberto have to confront as hard as the Colombian army is now engaging them. - With reporting by Tim Padgett/Bogot...