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“The guards of Ingrid Betancourt had been paid off”

By Camilo Jiménez, Semana correspondent in Berlin
ControversyA book published by Noël Saez, a former mediator between the French government and Farc, seeks to rebut official versions about the success of the world-famous rescue mission “Operation Checkmate“. Is it trustworthy? Or are we simply facing a new selling strategy?
March 11, 2009

A former French mediator questions the official version of spectacular “Operation Checkmate“, a rescue mission carried out by the Colombian army on July 2nd 2008, that freed former presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt, three US citizens and eleven more Farc hostages from captivity in the jungles of Colombia.

Noël Saez, 67, a former mediator who had been commissioned by France to negotiate with Farc, has made now new accusations that overshadow the official version of how the rescue of the fifteen hostages took place, without shooting a single bullet.

In an interview published in France’s major conservative daily “Le Figaro“ on Monday (March 9th), Mr Saez asserts that “the guards of Ingrid Betancourt had been paid off“ by the Colombian government long before the day the rescue mission occurred. “Otherwise, they would have never lost their hold of the hostages“, Mr Saez says. However, during the interview he does not present any concrete proof of this being true.

Asked by “Le Figaro“ about the secrets hiding behind the assumed success of the rescue mission, the former French consul in Bogotá affirms: “people in Colombia are convinced that (the mission) was the result of an extraordinary job made by the army. I am willing to show the opposite“.

In charge of this will be “L’emissaire“ (“The Emissary“), a book written by Mr Saez with the collaboration of the French journalist Claude Mendibil and placed into circulation by publisher Robert Laffont on Monday. In 250 pages, Mr Saez seeks to explain why “public opinion ignores how the rescue operation was accomplished“. Until now, there is general consensus about “Operation Checkmate“ being one of the most cleanly accomplished and perfectly designed military missions in history.

In his book, Mr Saez also deals with “revealing the truth“ regarding the negotiations he leaded during his time as mediator between Farc and the French government. His mission had been to achieve the release of Ingrid Betancourt, who aside from the Colombian also possesses French citizenship. Between 2005 and 2008, Mr Saez had represented the governments of Jacques Chirac and Nicolas Sarkozy vis-à-vis with the leaders of Farc.

Mr Saez is convinced that the success of “Operation Checkmate” involved previous negotiations between the government of Álvaro Uribe and ’César’, the member of Farc in charge of watching after the fifteen hostages that were rescued. “The mission has been presented to us at the best of Hollywood-style“, he says. “But if you truly know Farc, it is unconceivable that something like that could have really happened“.

According to Mr Saez’ book, “Operation Checkmate “ had already begun in February 2008, five months before the spectacular rescue took place. He told “Le Figaro“: “At that time, president Uribe informed Bernard Kouchner (France’s Foreign Minister) and me that the wife of ’César’, who had important duties within Farc, had been taken under arrest“. Mr Saez thinks that from this point on, and after finding an agreement with the government, ’César’ started to cooperate. He would yield the liberation of the 15 hostages under the condition of not being extradited to the United States.

Mr Saez sees a support to his statements in an assessment made by President Uribe two weeks before the “Operation Checkmate” occurred. “A guerrilla fighter who has offered to release Ingrid Betancourt along with other hostages has received a letter from government, as he demanded from us. The director of DAS (Colombia’s Intelligence Service) did this with my authorization. We have told his that if he keeps his word he will not be extradited. Let’s hope he will“, Mr Uribe said during a panel on June 13th 2008.

For Mr Saez, as false as the version spread by the government about the way in which the mission was carried out was the news—also divulged by the government on the eve of the mission—saying that he (then still working as emissary) had traveled to the Colombian jungles to meet Alfonso Cano, a rebel who had been recently appointed maximum chief of Farc. “That announcement only tended to make it credible for the guerrilla that the operation was taking place. The government used us“.

Mr Saez statements are concordant with versions of the same story divulged by the Swiss broadcasting station “Radio Suiza Romande“, according to which “Operation Checkmate“ was an imposture—the truth being, that 20 million dollars had been paid to several Farc members in charge of keeping Ingrid Betancourt, the three American soldiers and the other rescued hostages under surveillance. This information, published by the Swiss radio just one day after the mission took place, came from an anonymous source quoted by journalist Frédéric Blassel.

At that point, the Colombian government insinuated that Mr Blassel’s source had been another former European mediator, the Swiss citizen Jean-Pierre Gontard, a university professor that had represented the government of Switzerland at the face of Farc during many years. Mr Gontard’s country, together with France and Spain, had been included within the Group of Friendly Nations, an international commission that, with the accordance of President Uribe, was in charge of seeking a solution of armed conflict with Farc.

Nonetheless, as his French colleague, Mr Gontard had to leave the country, too. Shortly after the success of “Operation Checkmate“, the government accused him—on the basis of evidence found in the laptop of former Farc leader Raúl Reyes—of having transgressed his functions as mediator.

Until shortly, Mr Gontard had remained silent despite the strong and frequent accusations delivered against him by government officials. But the reproaches became so loud (he supposedly appears as the carrier of half a million dollars belonging to Farc found some months ago in Costa Rica), that he broke his silence in an interview published in “Le Monde“ on February 2nd . Mr Gontard categorically denies having transgressed the functions given to him by the Swiss government.

In the interview published in “Le Figaro“ on Monday, his colleague Noël Saez sustains a parallel version. “I’ve got nothing to hide”, he says.

http://www.semana.com/noticias-international/the-guards-of-ingrid-beta...

By pobrecito on Jul 27, 2009, 12:54 in Politics & the war.

billyb says on Jul 27, 2009, 12:57:

" However, during the interview he does not present any concrete proof of this being true."

Old and false charges, as you can see above, he offers no proof. Back to your sewer to try again, but do try to do better than this next time.

"All I want to know is where I'm going to die, so I never go there" Unkown (at least to me) wise man.

1 funny, 2 helpful.

pobrecito says on Jul 27, 2009, 12:58:

http://www.france24.com/en/20090319-the-interview-noel-saez-release-in...

No mas Tasco66 !

0 funny, 1 helpful.

pobrecito says on Jul 27, 2009, 12:58:

Billyb answers very fast; it is the proof that he does not read.

No mas Tasco66 !

1 funny, 1 helpful.

ColombianoGringo (Moderator) (Trustee board) (☼Travelguide writer) says on Jul 27, 2009, 12:59:

Even if they were paid off, how is that a problem? Besides, why dig up a four month old article?

I'm so hip, I have difficulty seeing over my pelvis.

1 funny, 1 helpful.

billyb says on Jul 27, 2009, 12:59:

I just read the parts that were true, so naturally it was a very short article.

"All I want to know is where I'm going to die, so I never go there" Unkown (at least to me) wise man.

2 funny, 0 helpful.

pobrecito says on Jul 27, 2009, 13:01:

For those who can read French :

Les dessous d’une négociation
Emissaire français en Colombie

Ancien consul de France à Bogotá, Noël Saez a été, sous les présidences de MM. Jacques Chirac et Nicolas Sarkozy, l’envoyé spécial du gouvernement français pour tenter de faire libérer Mme Ingrid Betancourt, enlevée par les Forces armées révolutionnaires de Colombie (FARC) le 23 février 2002. Dans la partie de son ouvrage (1) consacrée à ces négociations — qu’il a menées avec l’émissaire nommé par la Suisse, M. Jean-Pierre Gontard —, Saez, sans faire preuve d’aucune complaisance à l’égard des FARC, pointe du doigt la duplicité du gouvernement colombien. « Nous avons la désagréable impression que [le président Alvaro] Uribe se sert de nous (...). Nous risquons de perdre la confiance des FARC, qui observent avec scepticisme qu’après chacune de nos incursions dans leurs zones leurs campements sont bombardés par les forces régulières. » Ou encore : « Malgré toutes nos précautions, l’armée nous utilise pour arriver jusqu’aux FARC. »

Après six ans de pourparlers, et alors qu’une issue favorable se dessine, la guérilla assouplissant ses positions, « le président Uribe nous demande avec beaucoup d’insistance de reprendre le contact avec les FARC » et de réactiver le processus de libération des otages. Numéro deux de l’opposition armée qui menait, pour son compte, les tractations, le comandante Raúl Reyes établit un campement près de la frontière colombienne, en territoire équatorien. « Ingrid [devait être] libérée dans les prochains jours », estime Saez. Mais, poursuit-il, « l’objectif d’Uribe — habilement secondé par son haut-commissaire pour la paix — était de nous utiliser, une fois de plus, afin de localiser l’endroit exact où Raúl Reyes allait nous rencontrer, d’arriver avant nous, et de l’abattre. » Ce qui fut fait par un commando de l’armée colombienne, le 1er mars 2008.

Malgré le bombardement et le carnage qui s’ensuivit, les militaires colombiens auraient retrouvé « intacts » les ordinateurs personnels de Reyes. La révélation de leurs supposés contenus donnera lieu à une violente campagne contre (entre autres) les présidents équatorien et vénézuélien Rafael Correa et Hugo Chávez, accusés de « collusion » avec la guérilla (2). Pour sa part, Saez témoigne : « En examinant de près les mails que j’étais supposé avoir envoyé à Reyes [et que lui a remis Bogotá], les bras m’en tombent : je n’ai jamais dit cela ! Et puis, je n’écris pas aussi bien l’espagnol. Il n’y a pas de doute, ce paragraphe a été ajouté. Voilà pour la fiabilité des fichiers retrouvés dans le ou les ordinateurs de Raúl Reyes. »

La négociation — et celles qui suivent — ayant été torpillée, la voie est libre pour la fausse « opération humanitaire » (3) de l’armée colombienne (aidée en sous-main par Israël et les Etats-Unis) qui libérera Mme Betancourt et quatorze autres otages, le 2 juillet 2008. Une opération préparée avec l’aide (involontaire ou volontaire) des médias colombiens, qui, les jours précédents, évoquaient la présence d’une « mission humanitaire » visant au transfert des otages vers un nouveau campement, « ceci afin que les rebelles, qui lisent la presse comme tout le monde, ne s’étonnent pas de voir atterrir les fameux hélicoptères blancs ».

Qualifiée par beaucoup de « parfaite », l’opération Jaque (« échec et mat ») laisse Saez sceptique. Pour lui, le commandant de la guérilla — César — qui avait la garde des prisonniers, et dont la femme avait été capturée quelques mois auparavant, « n’a pas été dupé ; il a été acheté. C’est mon intime conviction (...). Uribe a voulu faire passer pour une prouesse militaire la trahison d’un commandant des FARC ».

http://www.monde-diplomatique.fr/2009/05/LEMOINE/17094

No mas Tasco66 !

0 funny, 1 helpful.

billyb says on Jul 27, 2009, 13:05:

For those that can read French: Same lies, different language.

"All I want to know is where I'm going to die, so I never go there" Unkown (at least to me) wise man.

1 funny, 1 helpful.

pobrecito says on Jul 27, 2009, 13:06:

And always same bs from billybush who cannot exchange an argument ...

No mas Tasco66 !

1 funny, 1 helpful.

tannedincali (☼Travelguide writer) says on Jul 27, 2009, 13:25:

yeah and the missions to the moon are fake too... and the mono jojoy video is also CG it was made with super advance gringo technology ;)

Take the red pill and I show you how deep the rabbit-hole goes

2 funny, 0 helpful.

durito2 says on Jul 27, 2009, 13:27:

"He would yield the liberation of the 15 hostages under the condition of not being extradited to the United States."

That didn't work out to well for him.

1 funny, 0 helpful.

billyb says on Jul 27, 2009, 14:16:

Isn't the REAL Saddam doing two shows nightly in Vegas? And don't forget to tip the waitresses.

"All I want to know is where I'm going to die, so I never go there" Unkown (at least to me) wise man.

0 funny, 1 helpful.

makopp5 (☼Travelguide writer) says on Jul 27, 2009, 15:42:

That was a really bad buisness for the Farc and for Cesar (who now will enjoying his vacacions for the rest of his live in a nice jail in the US). And this french guy just want to get publicity to sell his book.

1 funny, 0 helpful.

makopp5 (☼Travelguide writer) says on Jul 27, 2009, 16:43:

http://www.elespectador.com/noticias/judicial/articulo152933-autorizan...

Eazy
here she goes too, so he is not so alone in his vaccaciones.

0 funny, 1 helpful.

Pappassito (☼Travelguide writer) says on Jul 27, 2009, 17:29:

An American jail is too good for him. He should've been taken care of in Colombia... with a machete.

"A wise monkey never monkeys with another monkey's monkey."

0 funny, 0 helpful.

somedumbguy says on Jul 27, 2009, 17:44:

Ask the former administration of ANY government. There is the OFFICIAL version and the UNOFFICIAL version. Nothing new here. Sources outside the governments called BS the very next day on the OFFICIAL story. People continue to believe government controlled media. And I thought I was pretty stupid. Jajajajaja.....

0 funny, 1 helpful.

JGD (☼Travelguide writer) says on Jul 28, 2009, 03:42:

Pobre,
Isaza was paid off.
How is he doing in France by the way?

You are worried the US is going to invade and take the Venezuelan oil?... you are selling everything to them !!Peruvian Pres. Alan Garcia to Chavez

0 funny, 0 helpful.

billyb says on Jul 28, 2009, 06:30:

If those FARC commanders were paid off, that would be even worse for the FARC, as it means it has started to rot from the inside from corruption as opposed to just making a stupid mistake.

"All I want to know is where I'm going to die, so I never go there" Unkown (at least to me) wise man.

0 funny, 1 helpful.

Sam Salmon says on Jul 28, 2009, 10:35:

"Back to your sewer to try again, but do try to do better than this next time"
=============================================
x2
~~~~~~~
"If those FARC commanders were paid off, that would be even worse for the FARC, as it means it has started to rot from the inside from corruption as opposed to just making a stupid mistake"
================================================
x2

' a la orden!'

0 funny, 0 helpful.

romy says on Jul 28, 2009, 12:37:

FARC has been rotten from its conception, it's no surprise they would take money from the government. The purposes of these two groups are better served through cooperation.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

vinod says on Jul 28, 2009, 12:50:

So pobrecito admits that his FARC buddies are corruptible.

What a surprise!!

0 funny, 1 helpful.

Mononoke28 says on Jul 28, 2009, 13:44:

I don't understand, wasn't one of these FARC guys already extradited to the US?

Diana

0 funny, 0 helpful.