Libérenlos Ya

Just days before I arrived for a mini-vacation in Villavicencio, Colombia, ten hostages were released from captivity by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and were welcomed home at Villavicencio’s airport.  These hostages are police officials and soldiers; some had been held captive for as long as 14 years.  14 years.  This amount of time in captivity is as incomprehensible to me today as it was when I learned the details of these kidnappings during Colombia’s annual march in December to protest the FARC.

The march was an emotional and powerful day that I remember clearly. We started a few blocks south of my apartment on la septima (a main highway road) and congregated in the financial district, shaded from the unusually sunny day by tall office buildings.  Many people had tears in their eyes as their voices joined the chants of support: “Secuestrado, amigo, Colombia está contigo” (kidnapped, friend, Colombia is with you), “Libérenlos ya” (free them now), “No mas FARC” (no more FARC) and “Libertad” (freedom).  People were holding hands, standing arm in arm, holding each other in support as they cried out these words. Employees inside the office buildings waved from windows with white balloons and flags and scattered white paper down on us like snowflakes.

I noticed a police officer patrolling the median, there to keep the peace (even though it was clearly a peaceful protest), mouthing the chants in unison with the crowd and waving a white flag.  I asked for a photo. 

 Many people were holding signs with pictures of the soldiers and police officials who had been kidnapped, with the number of years that they had been held hostage – ranging from 7 to 14 years.

Four months later, the men on these posters have been released.  My eyes welled up as I watched the video of these men getting off the plane as free men for the first time in years – one man wrapped in a Colombian flag, another in the arms of his family, another requiring assistance to walk.

While this release is, without doubt, a step in the right direction and potentially a sign of a weakening FARC, there are still an estimated 700 civilians held captive by the FARC. Before coming to Colombia, the violent history of the FARC was something I had learned about from the news and textbooks.  Yet on the day of the march, I felt that I belonged to the crowd and to the cause. We were united in spirit and in numbers and I was overwhelmed by the pride and sadness that permeated the streets.

It seems that Colombia is experiencing these same things upon the release of these soldiers; although faced with the tragedy of the past and present reality, there is a palpable sense of pride in their country and hope for a peaceful future. This hope and pride defines the Colombians I have met in my time here.  It IS the majority voice, not the minority.  I am humbled to be one more voice demanding libertad for Colombia.