Betancourt, Ingrid (1961–)

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Betancourt, Ingrid (1961–)

Colombian politician. Born 1961 in Bogota, Colombia; grew up in France and Colombia; dau. of Yolanda Pulecio (ex-senator) and the ambassador to UNESCO; attended Institute of Political Studies in France; married and divorced; m. Juan Carlos Lecompte; children: Melanie and Lorenzo.

Worked for the Ministry of Finance; was 1st elected to House of Representatives (1994), then to the Senate (1998), garnering the most votes in that election; published Si sabia and La rabia en el corazón (Rage in My Heart); created the New Colombia/Green Oxygen Party; as a candidate for president of Colombia (2002), was campaigning against corruption when she was kidnapped, along with her campaign manager Clara Rojas, by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) guerrillas (Feb 23, 2002); as of Nov 4, 2004, had been held hostage for 1,000 days, while FARC continued to demand a prisoner exchange.