The rescue of former Colombian presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt and 14 other hostages Wednesday was an "important step" for the future of Colombia, Paraguayan president-elect Fernando Lugo said Thursday.
"I received the news with great happiness...I consider it an important step toward what can be the Colombia of the future," said Lugo, who will be sworn in on Aug. 15.
Lugo said he had spoken to Colombian President Alvaro Uribe who said Betancourt's rescue was a celebration "not only for Colombia but for all Latin America."
This continent "has wished so much for liberty and peace that there is no place for violence and death," said Lugo, who is in the Uruguayan capital Montevideo to attend a ceremony to name Uruguayan writer Eduardo Galeano the first "Outstanding Citizen" of the Common Market of the South (Mercosur).
The Colombian army on Wednesday rescued 15 Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) hostages, including Betancourt and three U.S. contractors.
Betancourt, captured in February 2002 during a presidential campaign, said her rescue was "a peace signal for Colombia."
Colombian-French Betancourt and her families have left Colombia for Paris.
Source:Xinhua
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