Americas: Region Celebrates Rescue of Betancourt and Other Hostages · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

The entire Latin American region celebrated with the people of Colombia upon hearing the news that ex-Presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt and 14 other hostages were rescued. In the operation named “Jaque,” Betancourt, 3 U.S. citizens and 11 members of the Colombian forces were freed after the rescue attempt. Bloggers from many countries throughout Latin America shared the excitement and wrote their own personal reflections.
– Cronica Cero [es] writes about the icon that Betancourt became:
LIBRE. Así, con mayúsculas. (…) Betancourt alcanzó una imagen mundial, universal. (…) Abrimos periódico con ella y nos regocijamos con su liberación, nos hermanamos con los colombianos, con aquellos que buscan la paz antes que la confrontación. Betancourt es un ícono de la lucha contra el secuestro. Hoy, Colombia amanece diferente. Creo que el mundo, el que se relacionó y conmovió con su historia, también
FREE.  Just like that with capital letters. (…) Betancourt became a universal global image. (…) We opened the newspaper and found her liberation, we are in solidarity with our Colombian brothers, those who have searched for peace before confrontation. Betancourt is a symbol of the struggle against kidnapping. Today, Colombian wakes up differently. I think the world, who related and was moved by their story, does too.
– Carlos Gustavo Machicado Salas of Guccio's [es] comments on the words spoken by Betancourt upon her release:
para mi lo más importante es el mensaje de amor y perdón que nos dio Ingrid, que rezo por los muertos y por los guerrilleros y además les ofreció su perdón. Después de las penurias y los maltratos que tuvo que vivir uno pensaría que solo tendría odio y rencor en su alma, pero no al contrario irradia una paz espiritual y un apego a Dios increíble. Realmente algo muy lindo y que a todos nos debería hacer reflexionar en relación a cual debe ser nuestra actitud frente a la vida.
For me, the most important was Ingrid's message of love and forgiveness, that she prayed for the dead and for the guerrillas and in addition, she offered her forgiveness.  After the hardships and the mistreatment that she had to endure, one would think that she would only have hate and resentment in her soul, but on the contrary, she radiated a spiritual peace and an incredible attachment to God. It was something truly beautiful and should make us reflect upon our thoughts on life.
– Marian B of Miscellaneous, Nonsensical and Unnecessary Ramblings [es] also highlights the speech given by Betancourt:
Estoy escuchando su discurso en el aeropuerto y le tengo envidia a los colombianos por contar nuevamente con una política excelente, excepcional e
increíble como ella. A Colombia le va a ir increíblemente bien si se presenta para las elecciones y la eligen.
I am listening to her speech at the aiport and I am envious that the Colombians can once again count on an excellent, exceptional and incredible politican like her. It will be beneficial for Colombia if she runs for president and is elected.
– Prensa Negra [es] is pleased that President Hugo Chávez of neighboring Venezuela had very little to do with the rescue:
Se logro el rescate de Betancourt, sin duda alguna, el secuestro mas controversial de los ultimos años de las FARC, y lo mejor de todo sin la ayuda de Chavez por que si hubiera tenido algo que ver con esto quien le oyera la trompa ahora al pizado!.
Betancourt's rescue was, without a doubt, the most controversial kidnapping by the FARC en recent years.  And best of all it was done without the help of Chavez, because if he did have something to do with it, we would have heard all about it!
– Menoscanas [es] writes about what this might mean for the FARC guerrilla group.
Sonrisas de los ex rehenes evidencian uno de los golpes más duros a las FARC debido a que todos los ojos del mundo se encuentran sobre Colombia en este momento. El caso de Ingrid Betancourt es el más reconocido y las sonrisas y abrazos entre los ex rehenes y el reencuentro con sus seres queridos nos muestra como luego de largas pesadillas, uno puede despertar.
The smiles from the ex-hostages shows that this is one of the strongest blows to the FARC due to all of the eyes are now on Colombia. Ingrid Betancourt's case is the most recognizable and the smiles and hugs among the ex-hostages and the reuniting with their loved ones shows us that after long nightmares, one can wake up.
Diana Zorrilla of Morena Escribe [es] writes:
Ella se convirtió en el ícono del flagelo que han infligido las FARC al pueblo colombiano y su liberación junto con la de los otros catorce es una importante victoria moral para Colombia
She became the symbol of the whipping that the FARC has inflicted on the Colombian people and her liberation with the other 14 is an important moral victory for Colombia.
— Edwin Britez of Derecho Viejo [es] wrote about Betancourt earlier in December, and returns with the good news spread throughout the country:
Me reconforta saber que hoy mucha gente salió a las calles de Asunción, por lo menos a expresar su contento con bocinazos, por la libertad de Ingrid. Muchas de ellas son mujeres. Hoy, todos somos de alguna manera, un poco más libres que antes.
I am comforted knowing that today many people went out into the streets of Asunción, and expressed their joy with car horns, for Ingrid's freedom.  Many of them were women.  Today, we are all, in some way, a little more free than before.