MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Bachelet sponsors Betancourt for Nobel Peace Prize

Ingrid Betancourt

Chilean President Michelle Bachelet is promising to nominate rescued Colombian hostage Ingrid Betancourt for the Nobel Peace Prize.

Bachelet told Chile's La Nacion newspaper that she would lobby for Betancourt, who was freed along with 14 other guerrilla-held hostages in a daring jungle rescue on July 2. The Chilean president described the rescue, without a single shot being fired, as a great victory for democracy, peace and freedom. The 46-year-old Betancourt was kidnapped in 2002 while campaigning for Colombia's presidency. She was held for six years by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia. Betancourt says she has forgiven her captors and is pledging to work for a peaceful end to Colombia's five-decade guerrilla war. President Bachelet also said that once Ms Betancourt finishes her round of family reunions and contacts in Colombia and France, she will be officially invited to visit Chile. Currently in France Ms Betancourt interviewed by French television discarded any intention of running for office again but did state she would return to Colombia to "serve" her country in other ways. Following her successful rescue last Wednesday and her moving peace and unity message, Ms Betancourt has repeatedly been named as a possible presidential candidate for 2010. "I want to be available to Colombia but I don't know if a presidential candidacy is the best option", she said during the interview. "I think there are more efficient ways to serve my country. Politics are very changing and in three years many things can happen", added Ms Betancourt who said she admired many things done by Colombian President Uribe, "although I retain fundamental differences with him".