Pablo Emilio Moncayo was 18 years old when FARC guerrillas kidnapped him in December of 1997. He's was a corporal in the Colombian Army. His father, schoolteacher Gustavo Moncayo, decided to walk with his daughter from his town, Sandoná (Nariño, southwestern Colombia), to Bogotá to seek a “humanitarian exchange”, or a prisoner swap for the freedom of around 50 kidnapped politicians, policemen and military, including his son. After 46 days and more than 1,000 kilometers walked, along with a huge media coverage (including a blog established by Medellín conservative newspaper El Colombiano) and popular support, Moncayo entered Bogotá on Wednesday, August 1. Around 16:00 he reached Bogotá's central square, Plaza de Bolívar, where he decided to remain until the prisoner swap took place. President Alvaro Uribe, who was resting at his estate, agreed to meet Moncayo on Thursday morning. After the Uribe-Moncayo meeting in the tent in Plaza de Bolívar, where the latter is remaining, Colombian president decided to speak in front of the approximately 1,000 people who went to support Moncayo. It became another of his usual “town hall meetings”. As Uribe faced the insults of some of the attendees, who started to call him “paramilitary,” “fascist,” and “liar” (he even invited a shouting young political science student to the stage), he said if FARC releases their hostages, the Colombian government would create a safe-haven for 90 days for peace talks. But Mr. Moncayo was skeptical, telling Uribe he didn't “own the lives” of the hostages and also claiming that Uribe and the FARC were playing politics with them [the hostages’ relatives] in the middle of that game. The unusual debate was broadcast live, during the midday newscasts on the main television networks. While the quarrel between Uribe and the crown continued, Moncayo “leaned on his wife and wiped away tears, then limped away on his cane.” The whole country started to debate the issue, showing a huge division between the ones seeking for a prisoner swap (a point where most agree) with or without a safe-haven (a condition which divides Colombians). The Colombian blogosphere reflects that polarization, which became more evident since Uribe took office 5 years ago. Giovanny Acuña praises President Uribe [ES]: Nuestro Presidente es un verdadero PATRIOTA, él lo única que desea es salvar nuestra nación y lo va logrando poco a poco, prueba de ello es la seguridad que tenemos hoy en día al viajar por nuestro país y a toda la inversión extranjera, que algunos confunden con la venta de nuestras empresas a otros países como lo hizo la señorita que intervino ayer en el debate. El profesor Moncayo ha sido un verdadero héroe en estos 46 días y espero siga defendiendo esos nobles ideales, porqué ayer por encontrarse desesperado me dío lástima a pesar de su buen gesto de paz, al no aprovechar ese momento histórico que tuvo para estar del lado del Gobierno y no ponerse a cuestionar a la política profesada por nuestro Sr.Presidente Álvaro Uribe, persona digna de admiración y respeto. No comparto para nada el irrespeto de una parte de los manifestantes que se encontraban en la plaza y entiendo que todo fue por la rabia que algunos llevan dentro por la inoperancia de otros gobiernos, ya que debieron presentar alternativas y escuchar las propuestas que se estaban presentando. Our President is a true PATRIOT, he only wants to save our nation and he's achieving it gradually. Proof of that is the security we have today when we travel around our country and with all the foreign investment, which some people confuse with the sale of our companies to other countries, such as the lady who took part in the debate. Professor Moncayo has been a true hero during these 46 days and I hope he keeps defending those noble ideals, because yesterday, when he appeared desperate, I felt sorry for him despite his nice peace gesture, because he didn't seize the historical moment, when he had the chance to be close to the government side, where he did not question the policy carried by our Mr. President Álvaro Uribe, a person worthy of admiration and respect. I don't endorse the lack of respect by one side of the demonstrators who were in the square and I understand everything was caused by the anger at the ineffectiveness of the former administrations. They should show alternatives and listen the proposals being presented.