MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

FARC admits it was betrayed by its own men in military rescue

Colombia guerrilla group FARC said on Friday it was betrayed by its own men in last week's military rescue of the former Colombian presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt and 14 other hostages that added to a string of recent setbacks.

The rescue of the kidnap victims, which included three US defense contractors held for years in secret jungle camps plus Colombian army and police personnel highlighted the success of President Alvaro Uribe offensive against the FARC Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia. The group said it remained willing to negotiate a swap with the government of remaining hostages for guerrilla detainees, although negotiations with hard-liner Uribe remain bogged down over conditions for holding the exchange. The hostages were being guarded by rebel officers Antonio Aguilar, known as Cesar, and Alexander Farfan, known as Enrique Gafas. They escorted their captives onto a helicopter that supposedly was to take them to another camp but in fact were flown by Colombian intelligence agents posing as aid workers. Once in the air the agents disarmed the officers and informed the hostages that they were free. FARC accused the two of betrayal without giving details of the accusation. "The escape of the 15 prisoners on July 2 was a direct consequence of the despicable conduct of Cesar and Enrique, who betrayed their revolutionary ideals and the trust we had put in them" said FARC. The statement, signed by the FARC secretariat, was issued on the Bolivarian Press Agency website, which is normally used for the rebel groups' releases and announcements. A record 1,600 fighters have deserted since January. The March killing of two FARC leaders, one betrayed and dismembered by a bodyguard seeking a government reward, ended four decades of government failure to hit the guerrillas' top leadership. FARC long-time top commander, Manuel "Sureshot" Marulanda, died of natural causes the same month generating disarray in South America's longest insurgency.