SHAKIRA CELEBRATED INGRID BETANCOURT'S FREEDOM

"This is an historic day for all of us, for this country that has suffered so much, but today cries of excitement and joy embrasing in a huge hug", said the composer and performer of "Ojos Asi" and "Hips Don't Lie", among others, in a message sent from Madrid to her press office in Bogota.

Bogota, July 2.-The Colombian singer Shakira said that "today is a historic day" for this country, after the successful military rescue of fifteen kidnapped by the FARC guerrillas, some for over a decade.

"Colombia stands and look at the future with hope that peace is coming," added the artist.

The artist spent a few lines to the former presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt, one of the hostages rescued along with three Americans and 11 policemen and soldiers, and stressed that it "is the symbol of the suffering of all those whose freedom has been stolen".

The political leader, also a French national, "alongside her fellow rescue were our own freedoms losses" and "what are those who still suffer from captivity in the jungle of violent who owe the country and their conscience lay down their arms" she said.

With this "victory we begin to regain our own freedom that will be full when the drama of violence is over, when absolutely everyone is free, silent the weapons and peace may end the war", she said.

Colombia "has achieved it in this day and has renewed our faith in democracy, on our institutions, on our own forces," she said.

EFE

Source: terra