Guerrillas hold Colombian presidential candidate

SAN VICENTE DEL CAGUAN, Colombia (AP) -- A presidential candidate who accused guerrilla leaders of drug trafficking in a recent meeting was being held hostage by the same rebel group in southern Colombia's war zone.

An anxious nation awaited word of Ingrid Betancourt's fate from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, who are locked in battle with government troops after the collapse of peace talks last week.

Betancourt and her campaign manager, Clara Rojas, were kidnapped at a roadblock as they were driving toward San Vicente del Caguan, a rebel town occupied by government troops Saturday, campaign officials confirmed Sunday.

The rebel group known as FARC made no immediate announcement about the kidnapping.

"We have to wait for the FARC to say why they kidnapped the presidential candidate, Ingrid Betancourt, to know what decisions can be taken and how to manage this difficult situation," said Interior Minister Armando Estrada Villa.

President Andres Pastrana gave the FARC a safe haven twice the size of New Jersey in 1998 to prod them to talk about ending Colombia's 38-year civil war. He called off the talks and sent in troops after a string of FARC attacks that culminated with Wednesday's hijacking of a civilian airliner and the kidnapping of a prominent senator.

Betancourt, 40, was one of four presidential candidates who traveled into guerrilla territory in February.