What better way to say LIBERTAD than with some live music? Colombianos Juanes and Ingrid Betancourt, and Spaniard Miguel Bose are throwing a concert to say that very thing. On July 20th in Paris the musicians will be teaming up to hold “Concierto Por La Libertad." The artists will perform and demand that remaining Colombian hostages be released, and FARC revolutionaries be dissolved.
The concert was announced yesterday by Betancourt and the mayor of Paris. It will coincide with hundreds of peace marches and shows throughout Colombia to help achieve la paz en el país.
Bueno, it’s a good thing Ingrid is using her Colombian celebrity connections for a good cause, no?
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While we knew Shakira supported the release of Ingrid Betancourt, we didn't know the two had become fast friends. Shaki and Ingrid were spotted strolling the streets of Paris yesterday, chatting and lively. Ingrid, a French-Colombian politician, is now working on an empowering campaign against left-wing FARC rebels, which held her in captivity for 6 years. Looks like Shakira is now part of la lucha!
Ingrid is also using Shakira's song "Hero" as the music to her political commercial:
Hey guerrillas, I’m Ingrid Betancourt. I want you to recover your liberty like I have. I’m waiting for you!
Que Vivan las mujeres inspiradoras! [Lossip]
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How’s this for a movie pitch: Colombian female presidential candidate is kidnapped by rebel forces. Fourteen other hostages are with her, including three Americans. Flash forward six years later, and the woman is rescued, surviving to tell every single detail and reunite con sus hijos. It may sound like a big screen drama to you, but it’s the true story of Ingrid Betancourt. The Colombiana was rescued just one week ago and Hollywood is wasting no time in making the worldwide headline into a big screen title.
Vertigo Entertainment, the production company that brought this summer’s horror flick The Strangers, has teamed up with Colombian television network RCN to tell the story of the dramatic rescue. Believe it or not, in just seven days studios have been battling over the rights to the Colombian tale and Vertigo won out due to their strong ties with the local network. With everyone in Hollywood and Colombia already buzzin' about la película, which Latina do you think would be best to play Ingrid: Salma? Penelope? Or maybe someone with a little less fuego y un poco mas “aire presidencial”? You tell us!
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Besides making multi-million dollar music deals, Shakira spends most of her free time fighting for causes dear to her heart. So, it is no surprise that when former Colombian presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt (along with 15 other hostages) was rescued yesterday after being kidnapped and held for six years, Shaki was quick to show her support.
Este es un día histórico para todos nosotros, para esta patria nuestra que ha sufrido tanto pero que hoy llora de emoción y de alegría uniéndonos en un inmenso abrazo. Colombia hoy se pone de pie y mira con esperanza el futuro de paz que se acerca.
Colombian forces apparently infiltrated the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, and tricked them into sending Betancourt and the other hostages up in a helicopter to their freedom. Betancourt had been held captive since being kidnapped during her presidential run in 2002. Shakira is totally inspired by her struggle:
Ingrid, es el símbolo del sufrimiento de todos aquellos cuya libertad les ha sido robada, junto a sus compañeros de rescate eran nuestras propias libertades perdidas. Lo son también quienes todavía padecen en la selva el cautiverio de los violentos que le deben al país y a su conciencia deponer las armas.
Hopefully, this is a step towards creating the peace in Colombia that Shakira so desperately fights for. [MTV TR3s Radio Noticias]
Photo via BMI
