Willing hostages for money

The Herald, 8 April, 1980

LEFTIST guerillas freed three more hostages from the Dominican Republic’s embassy on Sunday, but two Colombians among the 20 remaining are reported to have rejected freedom because they expect to make money by staying where they are.

The two are photographer, Mr Jorge Guzman, and Mr Luis Valencia, who puts out a free newspaper, Diplomatic World, reports Iana-AP.

Mr Guzman, who sold films he took in the embassy for US$22 000, expects more pictures and more sales.

Mr Valencia, who gate-crashed the embassy’s Independence Day reception and was caught there by guerillas, plans to write a book on the siege.

The 18 other hostages, who yesterday were in their 41st day of cарtivity, were 13 ambassadors or charges d’affairs and five consuls.

Lessons For Today

Adversity breeds opportunities. The two photographers saw an opportunity to make money when others were concerned with a hostage situation and gaining their independence.

The love for money can make people resort to extreme measures. The men in the story gave up their freedom because they felt they had more to gain as captives.

Pictures have a unique way of telling a story hence the adage “A picture is worth a thousand words”. One of the photographers managed to sell a picture they took at the embassy for US$22 000.