State Green Party Press Release

Rhode Island Green Party
Rhode Island Greens Hold Vigil to Call for the Release of Ingrid Betancourt.

More information and updates about Ingrid Betancourt's kidnapping, and the international campaign to free her, can be found here.

"VELAS DE LIBERACION" IN PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND - USA

PROVIDENCE, RI (USA) - On Friday, March 1 several dozen Green party members, Colombian community leaders and peace activists took part in a vigil to call for Ingrid Betancourt's freedom. With candles, banners and placards, "Velas de Liberación" in Providence was one of many events held around the world, in Europe, Latin America, and Australia.

A founder of Colombia's Green Party, Betancourt is a presidential candidate in Colombia's May 26 national election. She was kidnapped last week by guerillas of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). Denied air transport to San Vicente de Caguán by the army of Colombian president Andres Pastrana, Ingrid was captured by FARC when she traveled by road to visit San Vicente's Green Party mayor, in a show of support for that city's people. FARC has proposed exchanging Betancourt and other hostages for several hundred FARC partisans held by the government.

Tony Affigne, international committee member for the Green Party of the United States, told the Providence vigil that "Ingrid Betancourt is one of the world's most courageous advocates for peace. She must be free to speak, travel, and build support for a negotiated peace in Colombia."

Betancourt has been a vocal critic of both the government and the FARC rebels, and has recently been Colombia's most prominent voice for a peaceful, negotiated settlement of the country's long civil war.

The Rhode Island vigil was organized by Greg Gerritt, co-chair of el Partido Verde de Rhode Island and a candidate for Providence mayor, and also included many other local and national leaders:

- Tim McKee, national committee member, Green Party of the U.S.
- Katherine Fisher, national co-chair, CampusGreens
- Nellie Gorbea, president, Rhode Island Latino PAC
- Betty Bernal, membership director, Rhode Island Latino PAC
- Jeff Johnson, candidate for lieutenant governor (1994, 1998)
- a delegation from the Colombian American Cultural Society
- Riana Good and Gregg Stevens, GRPI state committee members

The Rhode Island group made plans to contact U.S. senators Jack Reed and Lincoln Chafee, to build pressure on the U.S. government, whose influence in Colombia may be important in gaining Betancourt's release.

More information and updates about Ingrid Betancourt's kidnapping, and the international campaign to free her, can be found here.