Ingrid Betancourt

Ingrid Betancourt is a Colombian-French politician, writer, and activist whose name became a global symbol of the fight against terrorism and for freedom following her prolonged kidnapping by the FARC in Colombia. Her life and career have been marked by her unwavering commitment to public ethics and peace.

She was educated in France and, following the assassination of Liberal leader Luis Carlos Galán, returned to Colombia, driven by a desire to play an active role in public life. She joined the Liberal Party, where she served as an advisor in the Ministry of Finance and Foreign Trade. She later established herself as a political figure, winning a seat in the House of Representatives and then in the Senate, where she stood out for her fight against corruption.

In 2002, while running for president of Colombia, she was kidnapped by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). Her captivity lasted more than six years in the jungle, a period that kept her country and the international community on tenterhooks. Her kidnapping, along with that of other hostages, became a major media and diplomatic issue, mobilizing governments and human rights organizations around the world.

She was freed in July 2008 during a military operation known as Operation Jaque. After her release, she devoted herself to writing, sharing the story of her experience in captivity through her acclaimed book *No Hay Silencio Que No Termine* (There Is No Silence That Does Not End). Her legacy is that of a figure of extraordinary resilience, whose personal story is intertwined with Colombia’s political history, inspiring the cause of freedom and the rejection of violence as a means of political action.