Who is she?After more than six years in the Colombian jungle, the former Colombian presidential candidate is the world's best-known hostage.
Why is she in the news?Her family say Betancourt will die if she does not receive a blood transfusion quickly. On Wednesday, president Nicolas Sarkozy dispatched an aircraft on a "humanitarian mission" to save her.
A network of hundreds of support committees in dozens of countries organised marches yesterday, and "white marches" will take place in Paris and other French cities tomorrow in support of Betancourt and Colombian hostages.
Recent events:On March 27th, the Colombian government offers to free 500 Farc guerrillas in exchange for Betancourt and 38 other "political" hostages.
On April 1st, Sarkozy makes his second televised appeal to the leader of Farc. "You have a rendez-vous with history: free Ingrid Betancourt and the weakest hostages." If Betancourt dies, Sarkozy warns, "It will be a crime, and you will be responsible for the death of a woman."
On April 2nd, Betancourt's son Lorenzo (19) tells a press conference that his mother could die within hours. She began a hunger strike in February and he is convinced she will "keep going until the end".