This comment was sent to us by one of our Observers for Mexico, Gabriel Infante. The information has not been verified by France 24 journalists.

Both the press and politicians in France have come to the defence of a French woman condemned to sixty years of jail in Mexico for kidnapping charges. Former victims of the crime however see the accused in a much darker light. Read more...

 

This unseen footage of Ingrid Betancourt's rescue has just been released by a Colombian television channel, a month after she was released. The document, now available on YouTube, contains over an hour of footage. See the images...

When the Colombian authorities announced that Ingrid Betancourt had been freed, one of our Observers was travelling through Bogota airport. He tells us about the wave of emotion that followed the news as it spread through the crowds. Read more..

A British security guard held hostage in Iraq for eight months has appeared alive in a video appeal to UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown to release coalition-held Iraqis in exchange for his freedom. But the demand is unlikely to be met; British forces no longer hold any prisoners. See the video here…

The video was aired on the al-Arabiya TV channel on Tuesday night (26 Feb.08)

Will they stay or will they go? While everyone eagerly awaits the liberation of Clara Rojas, her son Emmanuel and the former lawmaker Consuelo González Pérdomo, our Observers report on the atmosphere in Colombia. The father of hostage Ismael Márquez hopes that the release of some of the prisoners will speed up the process for his son, who’s been held captive since 1999. Meanwhile, Ingrid Betancourt's stepson reminds us that as the FARC’s most high-profile hostage, she will be the last to leave. Read more...

By Team Observers

The Colombian government has just issued the first images of the French-Colombian hostage Ingrid Betancourt since 2003. For her distraught family, the images are proof that Betancourt, who was captured by FARC rebels in Feb. 2003, is still alive. The Colombian government said the video was taken from three FARC guerillas captured by the army. For more information go to France 24.