Who Is Ingrid Betancourt? Colombian Politician Once Held Captive By FARC Rebels, Runs For Presidency

Ingrid Betancourt, a Colombian politician, held hostage by Colombia's largest guerrilla group for more than six years, announced her presidential candidacy on Tuesday.

"Today I am here to finish off what I started with many of you in 2002," Betancourt said. "I am here to claim the rights of 51 million Colombians who are not finding justice, because we live in a system designed to reward criminals."

Betancourt previously ran for the presidency in 2002. However, she was kidnapped by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) while campaigning for the country's presidential position for the Green Oxygen party. She was held hostage in the Amazon jungle; she became one of the group's highest-profile captives. During captivity, Betancourt was chained and was also deprived of food. The rebels would sometimes tie her to a tree with metal chains to prevent her from escaping.

Her time with FARC ended in 2008 through a military operation, where Colombian soldiers disguised as humanitarian workers snatched Betancourt together with some other hostages without firing a single bullet. In 2016, Colombia made a peace deal with FARC, which Betancourt supported despite the distress she had to digest from that experience.

Betancourt returned to Colombia's politics after withdrawing and spending much time with her family in France. As she announced her run for the presidency, she billed herself as someone who will focus on fighting political corruption and the unemployment rate that has afflicted the Latin American nation.

"My story is the story of all Colombians," The 60-year-old presidential candidate said. "While me and my colleagues were chained by the neck, Colombian families were chained by corruption, violence and injustice."

"While our captors deprived us of food, mafiosi and politicians continued to steal and waste our resources without caring for children who go without breakfast here in Colombia." Betancourt will still be running as a candidate for the Green Oxygen party in May; Green Oxygen party is a movement she founded when she was a congresswoman.

Presidential polls are currently led by Gustavo Petro, a leftist former mayor of Bogotá who backed protests against proposed tax hikes and inequality last year. Petro came in second place during the 2018 presidential election with 41% of the vote.