Colombian Green Party leader Ingrid Betancourt was rescued from captivity last week, after being held hostage for six years by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia. Ingrid founded the Green Oxygen Party in 1994, establishing a new political force committed to peace, women's empowerment and a fairer society.

She was elected as Colombia's first Green Senator in 1998, and in 2002, she ran for the presidency. Dedicated to non-violence, she was campaigning in the country's demilitarized zone to appeal for peace when she was kidnapped by the FARC. The Green Party of the United States wholeheartedly welcomes Ingrid's release, and her indomitable spirit and commitment to justice which have inspired us and millions of people worldwide.