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Hostages Escape From Colombia's Rebel FARC; U.S. Economy Continues to Lose Jobs; Ingrid Betancourt Reunited with Her family After Six Years; Words from Ingrid Betancourt and Her Children
Aired July 03, 2008 - 09:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
COLLINS: The men plucked from the jungle in a gusty raid.
HARRIS: The June unemployment raid just in. What do the numbers say about "ISSUE #1," the economy?
COLLINS: Coastal communities under siege in Northern and Southern California. This morning fire out of control, families on the run, in the NEWSROOM.
HARRIS: How about this story? Back on U.S. soil, three Americans held hostage in the jungles of Colombia for more than five years, being reunited with their families today. They were freed in a daring military operation.
Our Susan Candiotti is in Bogota, Ed Lavandera is live from San Antonio, where the former hostages arrived late last night.
Ed, let's start with you. A pretty amazing eight or so hours for these men and their families.
ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It was hard to imagine this is really the first time they've woken up on U.S. soil in more than five years, after these three men were doing counter narcotics trips and worked for the U.S. military in conjunction with the Colombian government.
Back in February of 2003, their plane crashed in the jungles of Colombia. They were then captured by the -- these Colombian rebels and held hostage for more than five years.
They arrived here just a little more than eight hours ago and were ferried by helicopter from the air force base where they landed to Brook Army Medical Center, which you see behind me.
And this morning, they begin, in earnest, a process of endless medical tests, physical examinations, as well as psychological evaluations.
And the father of one of the released hostages, George Gonsalves, has spoke with CNN earlier this morning and talked about what it's been like to go for five years without ever having talked to his son.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE GONSALVES, FATHER OF RESCUED HOSTAGE: That was an uphill battle. It was kind of like a roller coaster ride. You know, initially, we didn't get much information. Then the information that we got was just very sketchy at best.
We really didn't understand, you know, what was going to happen to them. We couldn't communicate with them. There was no way we could get like a phone call, for example, like we're having right now. I couldn't talk to him and haven't spoken to him. So it was very hard.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LAVANDERA: Mr. Gonsalves spoke to us as he was beginning the process of heading to the airport and flying down to San Antonio, as many family members, we understand, are in the process of doing.
But the three men are here at Brook Army Medical Center, where they'll be waking up this morning, beginning this long process of tests. They say there are a lot of things they want to check out, there's a lot of concern about their physical well-being, although they did look very good yesterday, as they were walking off the plane here in San Antonio.
But we have learned from other people who have been held hostage with them and also the U.S. ambassador in Colombia, who said there are some diseases that they might have been suffering from, that they need to get checked out as well, as well as injuries that they still suffered back in February of '03 when their plane went down.
We heard from one hostage who managed to escape back in February who was close to these three men who said some of them still suffered back and knee pain and migraine headaches from their experience in that plane crash.
So these are men who have had these conditions and haven't had any modern medical treatment for more than five years -- Tony?
HARRIS: And I know I'm reaching here. Bear with me for just a moment on this. Any idea when we might hear from these three men?
LAVANDERA: You know, it's hard to say. There is a press briefing scheduled for later on this afternoon but it doesn't appear that any of these three men will be at that press briefing later.
We expect to hear from commanders who were part of this operation to bring them here and will be in charge of their medical care once they are here. So that is still...
HARRIS: Yes.
LAVANDERA: ... very much up in the air and it sounds like their movements at this point are very much controlled.
HARRIS: All right, Ed Lavandera for us in San Antonio, Texas this morning. What a story.
Ed, appreciate it. Thank you. COLLINS: She was running for president when she was captured by leftist rebels more than six years ago. Ingrid Betancourt, among the 15 hostages freed in Colombia.
Susan Candiotti with us now via broadband from Bogota.
Susan, tell us the very latest from where you are.
SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, understandably, Ingrid Betancourt is front page news today in Bogota. The two main news papers -- the first one, "El Tiempo," there is Ingrid Betancourt wearing the camouflage that she had on yesterday and the floppy hat.
She's being hugged by her mother who greeted her when she was freed. And the headline reads, "It was a perfect operation." And then in "El Espectador," again, Betancourt and her mother, and the headline reads, "Check Mate to FARC: Could This Mean the End of FARC? We'll have to see."
Heidi, at this hour, Ingrid Betancourt, a former presidential candidate, is now on her way to the airport. Actually, she just arrived moments ago. This is a military airport, where she is being greeted by a government plane flown in from France, carrying her two teenage children and her ex-husband.
She has dual citizenship in France and in Colombia. Here she has remarried. Her husband was here, her mother was here.
However, she will be getting on that plane, back to France with her family. She says she's anxious to go back there. And it is being reported that the French government and the military will hold a special celebration for her, a special homecoming at a military base once she arrives back home on Friday.
Now, Miss Betancourt left her house there and arrived there at the airport. And that reunion, a happy reunion, will take place with her children. You can imagine what that will be like for her.
She has come through a remarkable ordeal, more than six years in captivity, and now freedom. She was asked will she run again for president. She said that she would like to serve her country in some capacity. But will it be for president? It's too soon to tell, she says, and that is certainly understandable.
Heidi, back to you.
COLLINS: It's amazing, Susan. I mean, you say you can only imagine what it would be like to reunite with your family. And you know, you really just can't imagine it at all.
We are going to be following this story, as you can imagine, all day long here. And what an incredible one it is.
Susan Candiotti, thanks so much, live via broadband from Bogota. HARRIS: Boy, so many questions for Amanda Howes. She is the niece of freed hostage Thomas Howes. When she heard the news, she said it redefined the word "miracle." She is on the phone with us from Massachusetts.
Amanda, great to talk to you this morning.
AMANDA HOWES, NIECE OF RESCUED HOSTAGE: Thank you. Thank you.
HARRIS: Well, well, here's the question, how are you feeling today?
HOWES: Today is a -- it's splendid day for my family and I and we are so overcome with joy, and we're just so happy, I don't think we could ask for anything more.
HARRIS: Did you honestly think you would ever see your beloved uncle again?
HOWES: I always hoped. There is always that small glimmer of sadness in the back of my mind, thinking that I might never see him again. But there is always hope, always hope, you know, on our side and...
HARRIS: Yes.
HOWES: ... in our family so.
HARRIS: Amanda, what have you come to learn about this organization, the FARC, that was holding your uncle, and given what you were learning about them, and did it strengthen your resolve or weaken your resolve that you would ever see your uncle again?
HOWES: I think it kind of strengthened and weakened, you know, my feelings on that issue. It was kind of undefined as to what exactly was going on, and we heard mixed stories, you know, from the newspaper, the Internet and different news organizations.
We studied it extensively and, you know, researched it to the best of our ability...
HARRIS: Yes.
HOWES: ... from the different literature that we were able to -- that was available to us. You know, I mean, we heard mixed messages of different camps that they were at. They were chained together, which, obviously, gave us a very worried and terrifying feeling, you know, I mean, I don't think anyone would ever would want to be where in the place where my family and I have been for the past 5 1/2 -- a little over five years, you know, I mean.
HARRIS: Sure.
HOWES: It's kind of -- puts you in an awkward place, you know? You want to help them but at the same time, it's like, how do you go about helping them? So... HARRIS: So, Amanda...
HOWES: ... we're so thankful in those...
HARRIS: Sure.
Amanda, to what extent was the government, the U.S. government, helpful at keeping you updated, providing you with information, as to the whereabouts or the condition, what the government knew about your uncle?
HOWES: Well, I would say that they were informative, but not to the point where I think they could have been. We have a great government in the United States. And, you know, I mean, they did the best, I guess, I assume, that they could do...
HARRIS: Yes.
HOWES: ... in the position that they were in but...
HARRIS: All right. Well, let me move on from there, because this not a day for those kinds of thoughts. I'm just...
HOWES: Definitely not.
HARRIS: OK. How do you -- how did your family, if you could share with us, manage the years without your uncle? This is, after all, your father's brother. I'm talking about the big days, birthdays, anniversaries, how did you manage those days and times?
HOWES: I mean we always say a prayer, more prayers on those days than we did every single day, you know, and cherish the memories that we did have with him during that time, you know, that he was in capture.
There was always -- he was always, you know, close to our hearts and in our minds. And there wasn't one day that went by that we didn't mention, you know, how thankful we were just to be together in -- you know, and hopes that he might return us to one day.
HARRIS: And Amanda, one final question, what are going to say, first thing, you got a chance to either see him or talk to him? What do you say?
HOWES: I think I will just say I love you so much, and I'm so happy that you're here with us now.
HARRIS: Amanda, it's great. We share in your joy. Thank you so much for taking the time.
HOWES: Thank you so much. Thank you.
HARRIS: No, it's our pleasure. Very happy for you and your family.
COLLINS: You can imagine what her face look likes, though, can't you, from that voice and how excited she sounds. Good for them.
A Bush administration official says the White House was aware of the Colombian rescue operation in its planning stages.
President Bush telephoned Colombian president Alvaro Uribe to congratulate him on the operation. A National Security Council spokesman says the president is very pleased the hostages were rescued and are now safe.
HARRIS: Some background now on the rebels who took the hostages. FARC is the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia. The Marxist inspired insurgent force has waged war against Colombia for 40 years, actually over 40 years. FARC was established in the '60s as a peasant army fighting for land reform. The U.S. and European Union have branded FARC a terrorist organization.
COLLINS: (INAUDIBLE) We are following many stories this morning. Some more breaking news to tell you about, this time on the labor market.
The government's latest jobs report just released about a half hour ago. Susan Lisovicz is at the New York Stock Exchange now with the breakdown of those numbers.
So how did it look, Susan?
SUSAN LISOVICZ CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, basically, more of the same, Heidi.
COLLINS: Yes.
LISOVICZ: The biggest economy in the world lost 62,000 jobs in June. But the unemployment rate held steady at 5 1/2 percent. April and May losses were revised downward. In other words, every month this year, the U.S. economy has given up jobs for a total of 438,000 jobs lost.
Heavy job losses in construction, manufacturing, business services and retailing. Eclipsed job gains in education and health services, leisure and hospitality and government.
A separate report for new applications for unemployment benefits rose to a level that many analysts say is a recession flag.
But guess what? Stock futures are rallying. A trader told me market priced in the worst scenario yesterday when the Dow fell into what's considered bear market territory. He said the numbers are basically in line.
We're also watching the dollar, which is firming, and oil retreating from its highs earlier today. But only slightly, still near $144 a barrel.
Heidi, we can expect another volatile day. Skeletal trading desks, lighter volume, exaggerates moves, the market closes three hours early, but we have a lot of time for a lot of swings. And I'll be with you for the opening bell in about 15 minutes.
COLLINS: All right, Susan. Thanks so much.
LISOVICZ: You're welcome.
HARRIS: Well, police say they were going to bomb a popular tourist spot. Now a group of suspected militants is in custody.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANNOUNCER: You're watching CNN NEWSROOM on CNN, the most trusted name in news.
COLLINS: A week-long search ends tragically in Vermont. The body of 12-year-old Brooke Bennett has been found about a mile from her uncle's home.
That man, Michael Jacques is expected to face federal kidnapping charges. Jacques has been in custody since Sunday on charges of sexually assaulting another girl. That girl told the FBI she was forced into a sex ring. And Jacques planned to have his niece join that same ring to have sex with adults.
And the dead girl's former stepfather has now been charged with obstructing justice in the case. Police say he admits having sex with the same girl Jacques is accused of assaulting.
More on this story coming up in the next hour. We plan to bring you live coverage of a news conference from the U.S. attorney in Burlington, Vermont.
HARRIS: It is one of the most acidic parts of California -- Big Sur -- but you can't go there today. A mandatory evacuation is in place. 850 residents told to get out. An evacuations also ordered for Shasta in northern California.
Governor Schwarzenegger says 85 percent of the state's wildfires have been contained. But there is still a lot of work to do. Firefighters are battling more than 1700 wildfires. The fires have burned more than 770 square miles and destroyed 64 buildings since June 20th.
Are you kidding?
Officials in Big Sur say nearby fires could burn through the end of July.
COLLINS: Want to take a moment to get over to Rob Marciano. He's looking at some paperwork there, trying to, sort of, stay on top of all this.
I know we've been talking about it forever, it seems like, Rob. But now, first we heard like 700 fires, which was incredible, and then it jumped to a thousand. Now we're talking about 1700 fires in California? ROB MARCIANO, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes. I mean...
COLLINS: Who knows, I guess, at this point?
MARCIANO: Yes, it's, you know, how they count -- how -- the fires is certainly a little bit suspect. But safe to say that it's bad. And it's not going to get a whole lot better as we go through summer because the rainfall that we do get this time of year is typically Seattle, maybe down towards Medford, Oregon, maybe in through northern California and Eureka. But that's about it.
(WEATHER REPORT)
HARRIS: Cooking.
MARCIANO: I guess.
COLLINS: Yes. Certainly is. All right, Rob. Thank you. We'll check back a little later on.
MARCIANO: OK.
COLLINS: Meanwhile, "CNN Security Watch." Authorities in Indonesia foil a plot to bomb a cafe popular with western tourists.
CNN's Arwa Damon has the story from Jakarta.
Good morning to you, Arwa.
ARWA DAMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Heidi, authorities here are calling that a very significant and major operation. They now have 12 individuals in custody. Three of them, foreign nationals who they say were planning on carrying out an attack against a foreign target.
Now the 12 were detained in raids that took place over the last few days on the island of Sumatra. The raids also netted what authorities are calling a fairly significant weapons and explosives cache. It included 10 ready-to-use bombs.
Now authorities are telling us that the group originally intended to carry out this attack against a foreign target in Sumatra, however, they were concerned about Indonesian casualties and therefore decided to move their target base to Jakarta.
Now in a press conference, one of the men was identified only by his initials of M.H. but the police spokesman said that he was an English teacher, who was also the main bomb maker. He was the one who trained the other operatives in this group.
Now all 12 are believed to be linked to Jemaah Islamiyah. That is Indonesia's most notorious terrorist group best known for the 2002 Bali bombing where over 200 people were killed, many of them westerners.
Now the individuals that the authorities have in custody are believed to be specifically linked to a splinter group of Jemaah Islamiyah that is headed by Noordin Top. He is Asia's most wanted terrorist.
The Indonesian government, since those attacks that took place in Bali, have launched a fairly significant crackdown against Jemaah Islamiyah. It has, by and large, been fairly successful in dismantling this network and the police are telling us that the operations on the island of Sumatra are still ongoing -- Heidi?
COLLINS: All right. CNN's Arwa Damon, live from Jakarta this morning with an update on that one. We appreciate it, thanks so much, Arwa.
HARRIS: Want to just show you a picture right now and sort of set the stage for what will happen in just a few moment -- a terrific reunion.
This is Bogota, Colombia, obviously, and we're waiting for Ingrid Betancourt to arrive. She will be meeting her family there. My guess is that you're probably looking at maybe a couple family members there, certainly some press, and it looks like Colombia military or police there as well.
What a day this is going to be for her reuniting with her family after so many years, more than six in captivity in the hands of FARC rebels there in Colombia. So when this reunion takes place, we will, of course, bring those moments to you live right here in the NEWSROOM.
Still to come, hard times on display, towns canceled July 4th fireworks due to the slow economy.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COLLINS: Fuel costs squeezing the nation's air carriers. AirTran taking money out of its employees pockets now to pay for gas. The company announcing pay cuts ranging from 5 to 15 percent beginning next month.
American Airlines says it could lay off as many as 900 flight attendants. Some pilots and mechanics could be out, too, as the company reduces its flight schedule and gets rid of some planes.
HARRIS: And again, back to Bogota, Colombia right now for a live view of what we believe is the airplane that is carrying Ingrid Betancourt. We are -- it looks like it may be happening. We were going to actually tee this off and maybe get a quick break in. But it may be happening right now.
Boy, we are anticipating what should be just a wonderful reunion.
And yes, this is going to happen right now, Heidi. Can you imagine this? And it is happening.
COLLINS: Look at that.
HARRIS: Yes, it is happening right now.
Ingrid Betancourt back on the ground in Bogota, Colombia, meeting with family right now.
I'm going to pause just to see if there is any sound on this. I doubt it. But let me just pause for just a second.
OK, so we'll work in a little mix here of the sound as well.
Can you imagine this moment, Ingrid Betancourt, captured, held by leftist rebels, FARC rebels, six years.
COLLINS: Yes.
HARRIS: And this long anticipated -- and you wonder at times this moment would ever transpire and here it is.
COLLINS: Yes, we're looking at some of the notes that have been circulating throughout CNN here. And at the top of something we get everyday called the international notes, there is a quote here that says, "We are the national army and you are free."
HARRIS: Imagine that.
COLLINS: Can you imagine hearing those words...
HARRIS: Yes.
COLLINS: ... after such a long time? Apparently she met with or spoke with, I should say, obviously, because she hasn't met with anyone yet other than her family as we're just now seeing live.
She spoke with the French president Nicolas Sarkozy and said that she dreams to return to France as soon as possible.
So we see her now...
HARRIS: Yes.
COLLINS: ... reunited with her family.
HARRIS: Well, I think it's terrific. She was in her press conference yesterday. We haven't heard from the three Americans yet. Maybe we'll hear from them...
COLLINS: I hope so.
HARRIS: ... a little later today from San Antonio. That will be wonderful. But we did hear from Ingrid Betancourt yesterday, last evening. And she was terrific in her press conference talking about -- really walking us through a wonderful chronology of the events, and also talking about that moment that you just highlighted just a moment ago, when she was told that, you know, they're free.
And the picture of her actually looking down at the commander, the FARC commander, who had been holding her...
COLLINS: Yes.
HARRIS: ... hostage for all these years, actually on the floor of a plane naked and in handcuffs, so what a moment that was.
COLLINS: Wow. Unbelievable. In fact, we want to take a second now from former Colombian presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt, who we are watching and saw her moments ago. And obviously, that's not her.
When she had the chance to actually speak a little bit about what she was feeling throughout all of this. Let's go ahead and listen in.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
INGRID BETANCOURT, FORMER COLOMBIAN HOSTAGE (Through translator): The helicopter took off. I was in my unhappiness, looking at my peers, in discomfort, everybody in a bad mood, everybody so humiliated.
And suddenly, I look, and I look at Gapos(ph) on the floor and I thought, did he faint? What happened? No.
I don't know how they did it, Mr. President, but I think it was in less than five minutes, they took off his clothes. I saw him with his -- with some -- with a bandana around his eyes, and he was tied. And the next thing was hearing the major, who was operating the operation, who said, we are the national military. You are free.
This morning, when I woke up, the first -- the last thing that I imagined was I was going to be with you tonight. This is a miracle. I don't know how you can call it by any other name. To me, this is a miracle. I want to say that for us, as hostages, every proof of life was a pain because we felt absolutely humiliated that they would use the pain of the families to pressure the entire world, and to pretend that something was OK, when in reality, the hostages -- we were the hostages.
And for us, it was very difficult.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLLINS: There you have it. Some of the sound coming up. Pretty unbelievable when you hear coming directly from her mouth, what went on here. And it's interesting, too, when we hear those words coming from Ingrid Betancourt. That, you know, FARC has really taken a hit, if you will, with their power. I guess since March, there have been three leaders that have either died or been killed including FARC's founder and the second in command.
They also lost a lot of territory there. So something that we will continue to follow here as we get a better understanding of this organization that's been around for a very long time now.
TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Yes. Seemingly more of a disorganization than an organization at this point. You know, our Randi Kaye is in New York and she has done terrific reporting on this story out of Colombia, of FARC, and certainly the Americans held hostage. You know, Randi, we are taking a moment to run some of the sound from Ingrid Betancourt because, you know, her story is so compelling. But boy, we heard from Amanda Howes, just a couple of moments ago. She is the niece of Thomas Howes. One of the Americans freed now. This has been quite an ordeal for the families of these three American hostages.
RANDI KAYE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It certainly has, Tony. It's really been quite an ordeal, more than five years for the American hostages, six years for Ingrid Betancourt. And the way that this was resolved yesterday is really something. It was a real bait and switch.
We had the secret agents posing as leftist rebels. The Colombian military had infiltrated the FARC rebel group for years posing as rebels themselves. And during this operation, they were apparently, led them to believe that they were going to move the hostages from one area of the jungle to another.
HARRIS: Yes. Yes.
KAYE: And they saw the helicopter coming in. Ingrid Betancourt described it yesterday. And she thought that was strange since the helicopter didn't have any markings and FARC doesn't even use helicopters anymore. And then, they got them on board including some of the rebels themselves.
And somehow they managed to get a couple of 9 millimeter pistols away from the rebels that were on board and they got them secured. And once that happened, they were able to tell them that you were free as you said. But here's a little bit of the history of FARC and how this all came to be.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KAYE (voice-over): After more than five years in captivity, they are free.
MARC GONSALVES, FREED FARC HOSTAGE: I love you, guys, and I'm just waiting to come home.
KAYE: This proof of life video was taken just months after Marc Gonsalves, Thomas Howes, and Keith Stansell were kidnapped by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, a guerrilla group that survives in the jungles and has been at war with the Colombian government for decades.
It's been blamed for hundreds of kidnappings, including police, politicians, and U.S. civilians.
The FARC was established in the 1960s as the wing of the Colombian Communist Party. It later became involved in the cocaine trade during the 1980s for the purpose of fund-raising.
The American hostages were private contractors from Northrop Grumman working for the U.S. government. In February of 2003, their surveillance plane went down in FARC territory while surveying field of coca, a key ingredient of cocaine.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have lost engine. We are north 020394 --
KAYE: The plane's pilot, an American, and a Colombian intelligence officer were shot to death execution style. The three surviving American contractors became hostages, joining an estimated 750 others, including Colombian presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt, now free after six years in captivity.
BETANCOURT (through translator): Please join me to thank God, to the Virgin Mary, I prayed a lot. I imagined this moment very often with my mom. Don't cry anymore. You don't have to cry any more.
KAYE: Betancourt, a rising political star in Colombia, was kidnapped while campaigning for president in a FARC stronghold in 2002. This video was taken just hours before she disappeared.
Last year, a video surfaced showing the three Americans and the presidential candidate, sickly but alive.
JUAN CARLOS LECOMPTE, INGRID BETANCOURT'S HUSBAND: We are right now in emergency. We cannot wait any longer. More months or more years. We can wait only weeks or days.
KAYE: Prayers of the hostages' families were answered, but it's been an excruciating wait with little movement.
Marc Gonsalves' mother recently told me she had visited Colombia three times to urge the government to find her son.
JO ROSANO, MOTHER OF FARC HOSTAGE MARC GONSALVES: I look around, and I see all these mountains, and I say my son's somewhere up there. And I'm getting no help at all from this government. No help at all.
KAYE (on camera): The U.S. considers FARC a terrorist group and has discouraged everyone from negotiating with them, including the contractor's employer and the Colombian government. But the families of the missing kept pressing and hoping.
(voice over): Keith Stansell's daughter talked to CNN last year about her dream that she would someday be reunited with her father.
LAUREN STANSELL, DAUGHTER OF KEITH STANSELL: It's going to be hard. He's missed a lot. There's so much to catch up on. But initially, I just want to see him. I just want to hug him. I just want to hold him. I don't want to worry about catching up on anything or telling him anything. I just want to hold my dad. I just want to be with him.
KAYE: A bait and switch before FARC ever knew what hit them. Not even the hostages' families could have dreamed up that.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARRIS: Well, we so want to be there for that moment, to see that hug. Maybe we will, maybe I won't. Who knows? Randi Kaye, again, joining us from New York.
Randi, what are you hearing about the health of the Americans?
KAYE: What we know, Tony, from this policeman who had escaped actually from the FARC rebels last year in May of 2007. He said that one of them, Marc Gonsalves had hepatitis. So there was a lot of concern about that. But they are going to the Brooke Army Medical Center, that's where they're going to be treated, and that is actually their specialty there.
They specialize in tropical diseases so that's very good news for them. We also know that two of them, apparently, have Leishmaniasis, which is a parasitic disease. The parasites get into the skin. It's caused by sand flies very often. So they'll have to be treated for that as well. And of course, they're going to be looking at their mental health even more importantly.
HARRIS: That's very good reporting. Randi Kaye for us out of New York, for us this morning. Randi, appreciate it. Thank you.
KAYE: Thank you.
COLLINS: New Mexico governor and former U.S. ambassador to the U.N., Bill Richardson, traveled to Colombia earlier this year in April to try to get the hostages released. He is with us now on the phone this morning to talk a little bit more about it.
Governor Richardson, your reaction this morning especially as we are looking right now at some of the pictures of at least Ingrid Betancourt reuniting with her family. Live pictures now.
VOICE OF GOV. BILL RICHARDSON (D), NEW MEXICO: Well, I'm enormously pleased, especially for the three Americans. You know, I spoke to those families. They asked me go try to help. And it must be pure moments of joy.
But, you know, what is ironic is in the last five or six years, all kinds of negotiations, mediations have moved forward. The Catholic Church, several countries, mediators like myself, and it's ironic that a successful military operation has secured the hostages.
COLLINS: Why is it ironic?
RICHARDSON: It's ironic because it shows that the FARC was probably not interested in serious negotiations and the military operation that took place worked. Usually these situations are resolved through third parties, through mediation. The fact that it was a military hostage rescue is very welcome news.
And I think a lot of credit needs to go to the Colombian military, to President Uribe, and hopefully, hopefully, this means that some serious efforts at getting the FARC to stop its terrorist activities of kidnappings, that's been decimated, that's been hurt by the death of two of its leaders. COLLINS: Yes. Let me ask you about that, quickly, since you brought it up. What does it mean now for the future of FARC? I mean, we're seeing some real vulnerabilities here.
RICHARDSON: Well, there are two options. Two things that could happen. One, the president of Colombia could make a military effort to try to get rid of the FARC. There are still 10,000 out there. They've got weapons, they've got resources, or an effort that he has started to say to the FARC -- look, come in. Come in from the cold, come out of the shadows. Try to find ways to merge back into Colombian society. We'll pay you to do this.
But hopefully, this will mean that the region's tensions will subside because President Chavez of Venezuela, the Colombian president, the Ecuadorian president, they have all been fighting over the FARC, over moving into each other's territory to go after the FARC. And so, maybe, hopefully, some very good diplomacy will take place after this.
But the best news is the hostages coming home, the three Americans, they kind of been forgotten. I think a lot of credit goes to their families that raised the issue and got international attention.
COLLINS: They never gave up.
RICHARDSON: And basically, pushed everybody to move forward.
COLLINS: Yes, that's right. 5-1/2 years is just unimaginable. Quickly, governor, I want to ask you, we could go round and round about what FARC is and how long they have been in the jungles terrorizing people. What is it that they want? What do they want from these three Americans?
RICHARDSON: Well, their overall goals were Colombian territory. They wanted to be known as a revolutionary movement that had power, prestige and territory. And they used the three American hostages and Ingrid Betancourt as bait to try to get previous Colombian governments to give them this territory to operate. To give them some kind of sovereignty with previous governments they had negotiations.
But with President Uribe, Uribe said -- no, I am not going to negotiate with you. I'm going to adopt the hard line. I'm going to go after you. And that seems to have worked.
COLLINS: Forgive my interruption. But we were not sure if we had translation on something that we are seeing live right now. Ingrid Betancourt is at the microphone. Her family at her side. We understand there will be some translations so we want to head and go listen to that for just a moment.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BETANCOURT (through translator): Chancellor Kouchner said many kiss, many kiss. I think it was an orgy of kiss. (INAUDIBLE), many kisses. I wanted to feel them, touch them, and look at them. They look so different but they look so the same, at the same time.
They're so beautiful because I think they're so beautiful.
I think they're beautiful.
Thankfully, they don't look like me.
I'm very proud of them because they fought by themselves, they grew up by themselves, and their anguish of wanting to be with me. They gave a good fight. They gave the resources from their personality, from the bottom of their soul and they gave a beautiful fight.
FERNANDO RAMOS, CNN ESPANOL CORRESPONDENT (through translator): For now, this is Fernando Ramos from CNN Espanol speaking. Welcome to freedom, welcome your children. You loved children. And now you find adults that had to mature by force.
BETANCOURT (through translator): Ingrid says, the last time I saw my children, Lorenzo, was very small. He looked like my nephews right here. And I could lift him up, and I could hug him in bed, but today, I've just told Lorenzo that I'm going to hug him again in bed and I hope his girlfriend doesn't get jealous because I want to have that touch with my children again. And I have so many dreams that I want to share with them. I have so many things that I want to say to them.
ALEJANDRO VILLEGAS (through translator): This is Alejandro Villegas (INAUDIBLE). I want to say, what is the first thing that you told your children, that your children told you when you met each other in the plane?
BETANCOURT (through translator): I thank you for the question. Big hug, big kiss. I know you guys were waiting for us to speak. What did I tell my children? I can't remember. I have no idea. I think I cried. I think I hugged them. I have no idea what they told me. I did tell them that they were beautiful. I think I told them they were beautiful. I told them they were tall.
I told them that they would have to put up with me because I was going to behave like a piece of gum and I was going to just eat them up with kisses. Mela, my daughter, I think she's beautiful. The way she's dressed, now like a woman. But when I left her, she looked like a daughter. She put on her belt that I sent her from captivity.
Lorenzo, he looks beautiful. He tells me that is the fashion, so great. This is the fashion.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER (through translator): We would like to talk to some -- with the children, see how they prepared for this moment. What do they want to do in this first moment? Now, you're going to go back to France. And what do they think of the military operation, with the risk of the operation? Now, you're free. And that was the one thing that allowed for their mother to be free.
MELANIE DELLOYE, BETANCOURT'S DAUGHTER (through translator): I want to say, first of all, that this is the strongest and most beautiful moment of my life. To see our mother, so beautiful, finally.
We were behind -- we were against the military operation because we were fearful that there will be blood. We never wanted to put my mother's life in danger or the other people that were with her. But this military operation was not a military operation, it was an intelligence operation, which is different.
My mother said it was perfect. They're all alive. And this is what we wanted from the beginning. Now, I keep thinking about the people that are still there and the families, the families that still have so much pain in their hearts. We still have to continue fighting for them because I remember when I saw the images of the people who were released in January and February, we were so happy for them.
But I kept thinking about my mother, who was still in captivity. And now, she's here. And now, it's our turn. But we need to keep fighting so this moment will come for everyone. Thank you.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER (through translator): What were you doing in the moment that you found out about the news? And what comes next for you as a family?
LORENZO DELLOYE, BETANCOURT'S SON: What I was doing, I don't think it was anything interesting. I was in my apartment and my aunt called me and asked for me and she told me of the news.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER (through translator): What did you feel in that moment?
L. DELLOYE: I felt many things. It was happiness. But I can't give it a name. I can't give a name to that feeling. It was too much happiness to know that after six years, that I now be able to see my mother, to know I was going to be able to hold her, tell her that I love her, and know -- and know that we won this one battle for freedom and this is precious.
Now, there are many people in captivity in the jungle. And for them, we cannot stop. We need to continue because freedom is just important.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER (through translator): What comes next for your family?
L. DELLOYE: Well --
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER (through translator): Congratulations. I would like to ask you what specific actions as family would you do for friends in Colombia for the freedom of all the people that are still in captivity in the jungle?
BETANCOURT (through translator): Thank you for the question. Because we need to figure out how we're going to act. The first thing we need to do is to make a call to President Chavez and President Correa so that they will help us reestablish the length of fraternity and trust with President Uribe. This is essential so that we may see new unilateral, people being freed.
We need to engage more regional characters to help us move this forward. For example, the new president of Argentina, Cristina Kirchner, and other players, and chief of staff, with the understanding that they must help us to free the hostages, not to make the war in Colombia stronger. The changes that we want to make in Colombia, we need to make through via democracy.
The move and using the influence that they have over the people in charge of the FARC so that they leave the way of terrorism and move towards a way of peace and conciliation. This is the first stage.
Additionally, I think Colombia has gained a space in the world to show that first freedom must be respected. It's too important. Everybody, everybody has the right in the fight for freedom for others. I think this is fundamental. We know how much France has helped us in this process. Many at the beginning did not understand why in Colombia, France was helping.
We need to make a league of countries that are helping and are fighting with us for the freedom of Colombia's captives like we also need to fight for other people who are captive in other parts of the world.
(INAUDIBLE), we have a case of a noble winner that is jailed in her own house in Colombia. We can also fight for her freedom. We can fight for the freedom of people who are living this drama. We have the freedom to fight for the freedom of others. There are many committees in the world that are trying really hard for our own freedom.
We need to continue this fight until there are no more captives left in Colombia. They have been proposing a march for the freedom of the captives. We don't know when this is going to happen, but I think we all need to participate in this initiative. We don't know who is going to organize it, when this is going to happen, but we all need to participate.
The most important thing is that every Colombian feels that with their attitude, they can make a difference. Every one of us can make, with our commitment, can make that our brothers in the jungle be free. Each one of us needs to say this freedom happened, happened because we did something. Each one of us needs to participate of this opportunity, of this opportunity for peace.
If I live 100 years and I'm old with white hair, I will continue saying - marveled, what I said, what I lived. Oh, my God. It's just a miracle. It's just a miracle. We need to have confidence in ourselves in what we can do. Colombia is on the upswing. We are Colombians. We are proud. Here, my French half is also half Colombian. This beautiful Colombian family of ours is just beautiful.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLLINS: There you have it. Former Colombian presidential candidate, Ingrid Betancourt, and now former hostage reunited there with her family. Some moments of shear joy. Now, she's taking a cell phone call as you can see. And you probably also notice, the rosary around her wrist which is something that she, she said the rosary this morning just moments before she was taken to freedom.
So once again, words from Ingrid Betancourt and her children. Fascinating and very, very emotional as can you see. We have reaction also from the White House to this incredible story. We've got it, coming up, right here in the CNN NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: Want to show you these pictures once again. Pretty dramatic stuff out of Bogota, Colombia. Just moments ago, Ingrid Betancourt, the former candidate for president of Colombia, captured by leftist rebels and held for more than six year, reunited with her family at the airport there in Bogota.
Three Americans also released, back on American soil, in San Antonio. Hopefully, we will hear from the Americans later today. We're getting reaction to all of these developments from the White House now.
Our Kathleen Koch has some information from the White House's off-camera briefing.
Kathleen, good morning.
KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN GENERAL ASSIGNMENT CORRESPONDENT: The White House was very well aware of this planned rescue attempt -- this rescue attempt in its planning stages. She said, though, this was an operation conceived and executed by the Colombians with our full support, but no green light was needed.
Now, Perino, they did not share any other details, operational details, about just how the U.S. help in this effort. But one senior U.S. official did tell CNN that what happened was the U.S. recently obtained specific intelligence that helped pinpoint the area where the hostages were located. Then they passed that information on to the Colombian government.
As a matter of fact, the U.S. ambassador to Colombia, William Brownfield, said that the planning for the rescue got very intensive over the last two weeks. And as a matter of fact, even as late as yesterday morning, he himself only gave it a 50/50 chance of success because of concerns that the rebels might have been tipped off to this very, very complex plan.
Now, the president was notified yesterday afternoon that it had succeeded. Perino said that he was very excited when he got the call from the Colombian president, Alvaro Uribe, and Perino said that the president had congratulated him and Uribe, thanked the U.S. for their help and support.
Back to you, Tony.
HARRIS: And Kathleen Koch at the White House for us. We'll take a quick break. A lot of developments to catch you up on and new developments in the 10:00 Eastern hour. You're in the CNN NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COLLINS: Good morning once again, everybody. Busy news day here at CNN. I'm Heidi Collins.
HARRIS: And I'm Tony Harris. Stay informed all day in the CNN NEWSROOM. Here's what's on the run down until we throw the run down out.
COLLINS: Yes.
HARRIS: Medical check ups and family reunions for three freed Americans today. Colombian commandos rescued the men after five years as hostages.
COLLINS: Groundbreaking for the new Walter Reed Hospital today.
