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Former Colombian Minister Escapes Kidnappers after 6-Year-Imprisonment

Fernando Araujo, a former minister in the Colombian government, escaped from his captures after being imprisoned for the past 6 years. Araujo told the press Friday that he had walked through Colombia`s jungles for 5 days until eventually meeting military troops, who returned him to his family.

Colombian military forces raided a stronghold of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), in which Araujo was held, this week. A gun battle between rebels and soldiers begun and Araujo took advantage of the commotion and escaped. Araujo had been former President Andres Pastrana`s development minister, until he was kidnapped on December 5 2000, while jogging in the Caribbean resort city of Cartagena. President Alvaro Uribe ordered the attack on the rebel stronghold after intelligence was received indicating that Araujo was being held there.

The kidnapping of political leaders has become routine, with government estimates saying that FARC has thousands of hostages being held in prisoner camps deep in Colombia`s jungles. Among the captives are an estimated 60 public figures, Ingrid Betancourt, who was a candidate for the presidential elections until she was abducted in 2002. The rebels are demanding the government release its hundreds of members held in the country`s prisons in exchange of the hostages. FARC has been sustaining its bloody battle against the Colombian government. The organization also holds the US responsible for taking care of its economic interests, while ignoring the situation of the poverty stricken majority. The organization has tried to assassinate President Alvaro Uribe, who holds strong relations with the US.