Ingrid Betancourt withdrew her request for extrajudicial conciliation, through which she was seeking US$ 6.5 million in reparation from the State for the suffering caused to her and her family by her kidnapping in 2002. Betancourt, who sparked a national uproar when news of her petitions broke this past weekend, can no longer attempt to make use of this recourse in the future.

Following the controversy over Betancourt’s demands, other former hostages have come out to say they have reparation processes pending.

Sigifredo Lopez, sole survivor of the twelve Departmental Representatives from Valle kidnapped by Farc in 2007, said the best way to carry out a process such as this is to seek reparation that the State can pay, not exorbitant sums, but using money seized from the Farc guerrilla.

In Lopez’ case, however, he was taken by force from the Assembly, his workplace, making him a political hostage. Other requests like the ones filed by Gloria Polanco, Consuelo Gonzalez de Perdomo, Jorge Gechem and Orlando Beltran all allude to some kind of negligence in terms of security by official State entities, which could have led to their abductions.

Betancourt, on the other hand, was harshly criticized for ignoring the warnings against her road-trip to campaign in San Vicente de Caguan. In 2002, when she was abducted, she insisted on traveling and signed a document in which she took security matters into her own hands.

claiming to have forgotten signing a document in which she took security matters into her own hands and venturing into San Vicente del Caguan in the middle of her presidential campaign

The first seven of the 52 political prisoners the Cuban Government promised to release arrived in Spain yesterday, all in apparent good health and ready to start their lives as refugees.  Dissident Ricardo Gonzalez read a statement on behalf of the entire group in which they express that “exile, for us, is a prolongation of the struggle and there are many ways to fight, but we have complete faith in words and dialogue and extraordinary faith in the fact that change is inevitable”.

Last week in an unprecedented agreement with the Catholic Church, the Cuban government agreed to release 52 political prisoners between now and October. The gesture was applauded by the international community and may open the door to improvements in Cuba’s relations with the United States and Europe. Only 20 of the 52 accepted the offer to travel to Spain and receive aid to live as refugees.

Supported by the Ministries of Trade, Industry and Tourism and Information and Communication Technologies as well as National Planning, Proexport, Dian, and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the 4-72 Postal Network launched a new service to facilitate exports for small and medium-sized companies called Exportafacil.

The goal is to “reduce costs and simplify export transactions”, spokespersons from the entity said, explaining that it will allow smaller business owners to enjoy benefits like reductions in shipping tariffs which facilitates the commercialization of their products.

The transfer of 600 female inmates from the Buen Pastor prison to the modern facilities of San Cristobal began on Monday, altering the daily routines of people in surrounding neighborhoods.

Residents of Pedregal Alto, for instance, can see the building as well as follow their new neighbors’ every move along with that of more than 200 Inpec employees. 90 women were transferred yesterday guarded by Inpec officers and motorized units of the Police and the Army. The transfer should be complete by Thursday.