Born: 25 December 1961, Colombia
Died: NA
Country most active: Colombia
Also known as: NA
Íngrid Betancourt Pulecio is a Colombian politician, former senator and anti-corruption activist, particularly political corruption. She was was elected to the Chamber of Representatives in 1994 despite being a long shot. In 1997, Betancourt launched the Partido Verde Oxigeno (Green Oxygen Party), as an alternative to the traditional conservative and liberal parties. Betancourt ran for Senator in the 1998 election, and received more votes than any other candidate in a senate election. During her time in office, death threats caused her to send her children to New Zealand, where they could live with their father.
On 23 February 2002, Betancourt was kidnapped by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) while campaigning for the Colombian presidency. She had decided to campaign in the former “zone of dissension”, after the military operation “Tanatos” was launched, and after the zone was declared free of guerrillas by the government. She was rescued by Colombian security forces six and a half years later on 2 July 2008. The rescue operation, dubbed Operation Jaque, rescued Betancourt along with 14 other hostages. Her kidnapping received worldwide coverage, and she received multiple international awards in 2008 following her rescue, such as the Légion d’honneur and the Concord Prince of Asturias Award. In 2010, she published a memoir, Même le silence a une fin (Even Silence Has an End: My Six Years of Captivity in the Colombian Jungle).