Guide Note

The Communist Colombian revolutionary guerrilla organization, FARC holds several hundred civilian and political hostages. Since 2002, the Colombian government has attempted to negotiate the release of the FARC-held hostages.

Fast Facts

1. Clara Rojas, an aide to former Colombian presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt, was taken hostage in 2002
2. Consuelo Gonzalez, former Colombian congresswoman, was kidnapped in 2001
3. Three Americans were taken hostage in 2003
4. An estimated 700 hostages are being held for ransom
5. At least 40 hostages are political captives
6. Some of the hostages have been in captivity for nearly a decade

In the fall of 2007, Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez became involved in negotiating the release of some hostages, although this heightened tensions between Chavez and Colombian President Álvaro Uribe. American film director Oliver Stone has also been involved in the efforts to free the hostages. On January 10, 2008, hostages Consuelo Gonzalez and Clara Rojas were released and arrived safely in Venezuela.