Data Source
Ingrid Betancourt's birth time is provided by the French astrology website astrotheme, which includes a biography. The data is unsourced, but since Betancourt is a dual Colombian-French citizen, one might suspect the information came directly from her. The time used in this column (2:11 pm) is rectified from the given time of 2:15 pm. See astrotheme
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Kidnapped!

On February 23, 2002 Ingrid Betancourt was campaigning for Colombia's presidency under her Green Oxygen Party, when she entered the De-Militarized Zone to talk with FARC officials in spite of heavy warnings from government authorities. The military denied her a government helicopter, and so she entered the DMZ via ground transport with a handful of political aides – all of whom were kidnapped and held for the next 2,321 days.

Such foolishness has its astrological portents, which we can see in her prominent Neptune and Jupiter. Neptune is angular (conjunct the Descendant) and squares the supremely confident Leo Moon. Jupiter is conjunct the Midheaven where it squares Neptune and opposes the Moon. These placements point to a blind side, one that is deceived by her own sense of mission and a willingness to overlook the facts on hand.

Rescued!

Colombian officials described Betancourt's rescue operation as unprecedented for its audacity and effectiveness, and relied on a disgruntled member of FARC to plant a message that
Her natal Mars has also been under major activation by transiting Pluto, which describes the intensity of the military operation, as well as the courage, focus, and initiative in carrying it out. Then, Vesta-Mars combinations are often associated with special military services. On her rescue day, transiting Vesta in her secretive 12th house was exactly trine transiting Mars, as they created a Grand Trine with her natal Mars-Uranus trine.

Betancourt is now experiencing a wave of international popularity. She's expected to meet with the Pope soon, and speculation is already underway that she will become Colombia's next president. Her progressed Ascendant opposite natal Venus (the ruler of her chart) tells us that this popularity will continue throughout 2008. And with transiting Jupiter entering her tenth house next year, we can be sure Ingrid Betacourt will remain an outstanding messenger of freedom from tyranny.

Ingrid Betancourt's Journey

NewsScope, July 7, 2008. Six years after being captured by FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia), Ingrid Betancourt was rescued in a dramatic deception staged by Colombia's special armed forces. Her cause had been championed by France where she had spent her youth, and so when the former presidential candidate returned to Paris over the weekend, she was given a royal reception as she tearfully recounted her ordeal. 
The Astrology of Ingrid Betancourt
Her poor judgment was emphasized that day since transiting Mercury and Neptune were forming a conjunction with each other as they simultaneously conjoined her Jupiter. Mercury-Neptune to Jupiter believes what it wants to believe, perhaps feeling divine protection due to the righteousness of her cause. She was also hampered by over-confidence due to her progressed Mercury-Jupiter conjunction.

Transiting Mars was passing through her twelfth house of self-undoing and secret enemies. On that fateful day, transiting Mars was trine her Venus (the ruler of her chart), perhaps giving her the feeling that she could charm her way out of any trouble. However, transiting Mars here was also squaring her Saturn, as she pushed her limits too far. Astrologers will find a similar message with her progressed Moon-Mars-Saturn triple conjunction.


<~~ Bi-wheel featuring her transits on the date she was kidnapped
On August 18, 1989, Betancourt's mother was standing immediately behind Luis Carlos Galán, a liberal candidate with an anti-cocaine platform, when he was assassinated by FARC. The incident persuaded the young Ingrid to leave
France and enter Colombia's chaotic politics as transiting
Pluto was exactly opposite her Ceres. At the time, transiting Uranus was also conjunct her Sun-Mars, awakening her to her higher destiny.
The tri-wheel above is made from her natal chart (center wheel), her chart progressed to when she was kidnapped on February 23, 2002 (middle wheel), and her chart progressed to her rescue on July 2, 2008 (outer wheel). The progressed (P2) Midheaven sextiles P2 Ceres and then advances to sextile P2 Vesta
Betancourt has Ceres and Vesta conjunct her Taurus Ascendant. Ceres is the most prominent of these since it's only one degree from the Ascendant, and describes the influential role her mother has had in her life, as well as her own role as a mother and hopeful caretaker for the Colombian nation. Ceres and Vesta are 6½ degrees apart, which by secondary progression represents the 6½ years she spent in captivity.

In her progressed (P2) horoscope, Betancourt was kidnapped as P2 MC was exactly sextile P2 Ceres. She was rescued as her P2 MC had advanced the 6½ degrees to exactly sextile her P2 Vesta.
Ingrid Betancourt was born with her ambitious Capricorn Sun conjunct Mars (December 25, 1961; 2:11 pm; Bogota, Colombia*), giving her a fighting spirit and can-do mind-set that propelled her into Colombian politics. Her
Sun and well-placed Mars (exalted in Capricorn) are given a liberal, energetic boost by an exact trine to Uranus, plus a reform-minded determination by the trine to Pluto.
the hostages were to be moved to another location. The actors involved in the rescue practiced their roles for months, and finally, after getting the "go-ahead" from President Uribe, successfully carried out the 14 hostages on July 2.

Betancourt's horoscope tells the tale astrologically. Her progressed Midheaven, representing her evolving fate, was at 22º Pisces – the exact position of transiting Uranus as it made its retrograde station. Uranus to the progressed MC reflects her sudden and exciting change of status, and the ultimate liberation. While Uranus is near her progressed Midheaven all month, transiting Mars conjunct her natal Uranus provided the date for action.
As a dual citizen of France and Colombia, the idealistic and talented Ingrid Betancourt became an international star when she was freed on July 2. Track her adventure as promised in her natal horoscope.
The Kidnapped Candidate
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This tri-wheel (set for July 2, 2008; 1:30 pm; San Jose de Guavier, Colombia) features Ingrid Betancourt's natal chart in the inner wheel, with her progressed chart in the middle ring, and transits in the outer ring. The circled planets highlight the major transits and progressions in effect at the time of her rescue -- with most 1/4º orb or less, and include:

T PL cnj MA
T PL squ Juno
T MA cnj UR (ruler MC)
T MA tri MA
T Vesta tri MA, UR
T UR cnj P2 MC
T UR sxt P2 Vesta
P2 AS opp VE (chart ruler)

The asteroids play a huge role in Betancourt's chart. Note that transiting Pluto was squaring her Juno, the marriage asteroid, when she was reunited with her husband. For more on these powerful archetypes, visit asteroids.

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