A Colombian rebel group has released a former U.S. Marine who was kidnapped in June while backpacking through the country.
27-year-old Kevin Sutay was hiking through the country this summer when he was kidnapped by the leftist Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC. (Via Telemundo)
The FARC initially accused the ex-Marine of working as a mercenary for the Colombian government, but it soon concluded Sutay was just a tourist. The FARC first promised to release Sutay in July. (Via Univision)
In a statement, Secretary of State John Kerry thanked the government of Colombia and its president for their "tireless efforts to secure his release." (Via U.S. Department of State)
Secretary Kerry also commended several other parties for their role in Sutay’s release. That included the Red Cross, the governments of Norway and Cuba … and the Rev. Jesse Jackson.
Jackson accepted a request from the FARC to mediate the prisoner's release, and continued to push for Sutay's liberation despite being excluded from formal negotiations. (Via Los Angeles Times)
Sutay’s release was supervised by the Red Cross. A doctor from the organization said Sutay is in good physical condition and is healthy enough to travel.
- See more at Newsy.com
More Popular Headlines
> More Popular and trending stories
About the Author
