After her hero’s welcome in France and an upcoming meeting on Tuesday with the Pope, Ingrid Betancourt plans to write a play about her six years as a captive of the left-wing Farc guerrillas. But following her spectacular release last week, Ms Betancourt’s long term plans are more ambitious: it seems very likely indeed that the charismatic 46 year-old will resume her efforts to become president of her country.

Opinion polls show she is a rising star. 30 per cent of a sample of Colombians surveyed last week said they would vote for her and at least one prominent leader of the left-wing Democratic Pole has openly suggested she may well run as the party’s candidate in the 2010 election.