Betancourt drops damages suit

BOGOTA – Ingrid Betancourt, a former Colombian presidential candidate whose kidnapping and rescue six years later drew international…

BOGOTA – Ingrid Betancourt, a former Colombian presidential candidate whose kidnapping and rescue six years later drew international attention, dropped her much-criticized damages suit against the state yesterday.

Betancourt – a 48-year-old French-Colombian national and the most prominent hostage held by Colombia’s Marxist guerrillas – retracted the $6.8 million lawsuit after it was widely criticised inside the country, a spokesman said. – (Reuters)