I am glad she and the other 14 hostages are free (especially the other 14). I also hope she stays in France and never gets involved in Colombian politics again. She has already been a huge burden for the Colombian people to carry. She should thank the Colombian and US Governments.

Mario, Vancouver,

We Colombians know that our army has carried out the operation. The Colombian Special Forces have carried out similar operations in the past and they have liberated dozens of hostages. This particular operation wasn't carried out before because of the opposition of the French government.

Ilda, Pereira, Colombia

Ingrid and the Americans were a key bargaining element for the FARC in their ambition to have a corridor in Colombia that would have allowed them to export hundreds of tons of cocaine. They would have never given up this for $20 million, a quantity that is too small for them.

Victor, Santa Marta, Colombia

FARC invented this rumour. They and their collaborators have done this in the past to deny their defeats.

John, Bucaramanga, Colombia

what is important is that Ms. Batancourt and the others are alive and well. Money or no money, life is only one time given, money can be printed any time .
I for one am very happy that she is well,the others also are well. What ever happened and who paid whom that is not important.
But money talk

vespasianus, B. County .N.J., United States

The Colombian government rescued Ingrid Betancourt. Whenever the FARC has been defeated it or its collaborators initiate a campaign to deny the defeat. There are many European small organisations that have cooperated with the FARC in the past and probably they are cooperating with them right now .

Martin, Sincelejo, Colombia

The FARC is the largest drug trafficking organisation in the World. $20 million is nothing for them. They would have never handed in Ms Betancourt for this money. She and the North Americans were human shields for their commanders and now they are in big trouble for not having them in captivity.

Ernest, Popayan, Colombia

Why try to look too deep into an operation that achieved so much good? Surely the main thing is that Ingrid Betancourt and the other hostages are at last free.
Lets hope there can now be a solution found to free the others that are left in terrible conditions in the jungle.

Neil Ryding, Warrington, United Kingdom

Two FARC leaders and famous commanders were captured during the Colombian military operation. They face 60 years in prison in Colombia or a life sentence in the US. The FARC would have never agreed to any deal that harms its commanders because it would have completely demoralise its combatants.

Henry, Santiago, Chile

No matter what the authorities say, the people will have their doubts.
I think this is due to a general suspicion of elected politicians, and also due to previous disclosures that ransoms had been paid to release French hostages in Iraq, despite initial denials by the Government.

Samuel Young, Paris, France

Oh Brother! Leave it to the media to try to make something sensational of a good thing. It was daring and cunning no matter how it was done.

The mistake that the media makes is that there are some who can see through them. Did your readership rate go up? I think not.

willy, Texas, USA

Clearly the U.S. was involved. Everybody was asking what in the world McCain was doing in Columbia. Now we have our answer. The Bush administration and the Columbian government negotiated with FARC for the release and then took advantage by sending McCain down there for the release.

pam, round rock, U.S.

It is wonderful they are free, I just hope all the other hostages will be freed. How do you decide who go's and who stay's? I cant even imagine how the others must feel knowing they have been left behind.

fran, Ogden, United States of America

Unfortunately, we in Mexico have various "left wing" groups that sympathize with Colombiá FARC rebels/terrorists. I hope that this daring release of Ms. Betancourt will further diminish FARC´s image around the world and especially among Mexico´s "sympathizers.

Fernando Aguilar, Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico

Sorry folks but the Colombian Army just provided the facade, you should thank the Americans and the French, they are the ones who carried this operation.

Besides, Ingrid's home is in France, she's French and she's not coming back to Colombia, let alone running for president anymore.

Enrique Segura, Washington DC, U.S.

As Colombinan, we`re so proud of our Army. They did a marvelous effort to rescue Ingrid and the prisioners that were in the guerrilla hands (some in captivity since 1999). The notation "Marxist Farc" is a mistake, they have no ideals.They`re terrorist, drug dealers and a cancer to Colombia nation

Mauricio Jimenez, Bogota, Colombia

FARC would soon say if the authorities had succumbed and paid ransom, after all they hold another 700-odd hostages.

Chris D, Edinburgh, Scotland