Hundreds march in Paris to support hostage Betancourt

[struggle4progress]

Source: The Associated Press

Published: April 6, 2008

... Marchers — led by Argentine President Cristina Fernandez and French first lady Carla Bruni-Sarkozy — demonstrated near the Paris Opera to show support for Betancourt, who was taken hostage by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia in 2002 while campaigning for the country's presidency.

Betancourt is a dual French-Colombian citizen.

Paris police put the number of participants at 5,000. Similar demonstrations were organized in about 10 other cities in France, including Nice, Toulouse, Strasbourg and Bordeaux.

The Paris march drew many Cabinet ministers and celebrities. Fernandez attended the march before talks Monday with President Nicolas Sarkozy. Others included Paris Mayor Bertrand Delanoe, Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner, Human Rights Minister Rama Yade and Betancourt's son, Lorenzo Delloye ...

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/04/06/news/France-Colombia-Betancourt.php


Read more: http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/04/06/news/France-Colombia-Betancourt.php

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Argentine Leader Attends March in Paris

Paris, Apr 6 (Prensa Latina) Shortly after arriving in the French capital Sunday, Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner attended an act of solidarity with French-Colombian Ingrid Betancourt.

Fernandez de Kirchner visited the country early last year as senator, and is now making her first visit as president to have a working lunch with her French counterpart, Nicolas Sarkozy, on Monday.

She will also meet with the general director of the UN Education, Science, and Culture Organization (UNESCO), Koichiro Matsuura, and French Prime Minister Francois Fillon.

Accompanied by the ministers of foreign affairs, Jorge Taiana, and planning, Julio De Vido, as well as four legislators, she will inaugurate the Garden of Mothers and Grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo in Paris' district 15 tomorrow ...

http://www.plenglish.com/article.asp?ID=%7B6ADA84F7-D97B-4267-908A-7EFE07226412%7D)&language=EN