Global rally staged for hostages still held in Colombia

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The Christian Science Monitor reports this morning that hundreds of thousands of Colombians poured into the streets across the country Sunday in massive rallies demanding freedom for hundreds of hostages.

‘They were joined by demonstrators in 80 cities around the world in a show of solidarity. It was the loudest message to leftist rebels yet to stop kidnapping and lay down their arms,’ writes Sibylla Brodzinsky.

The rallies came three weeks after the liberation of 15 hostages, include former presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt, during a Colombian military operation. The hostages, who were being held by the leftist FARC guerrilla group, were freed after being taken aboard a helicopter by Colombian armed forces posing as humanitarian workers.

Read more about Colombia and its hostage situation here.

-- Deborah Bonello in Mexico City