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Swiss courage praised in Betancourt case

The son of Colombian hostage Ingrid Betancourt has appealed to Switzerland to help get his mother released.

“There is not much time. That is why I am asking Switzerland to continue helping us, and even to redouble its efforts,” Lorenzo Delloye told the newspaper Le Matin Dimanche.

Betancourt, a Colombian politician, is reported to be dangerously ill with hepatitis-B.

Delloye’s father, Fabrice, told the paper that he had frequent contacts with Switzerland in connection with his ex-wife.

“I have met [Swiss Foreign Minister] Mrs Calmy-Rey and the Swiss emissary who, with the French emissary, goes to Colombia regularly to meet the FARC,” he said.

“I should like to stress the courage of these two emissaries who risk their own lives in going to a war zone. Everything they do is absolutely admirable.”

Betancourt was kidnapped by the FARC guerrilla movement six years ago when she was campaigning for the presidential elections.

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