On 2 July 2008 a covert rescue operation codenamed Operation Jaque by the Colombian Special Forces disguised as FARC guerillas resulted in the rescue of Senator and former Presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt, the Americans Marc Gonsalves, Thomas Howes, and Keith Stansell and eleven soldiers and police officers.
This is part of the policy of political liberalization enacted by President Álvaro Uribe.
President Álvaro Uribe has however vowed to press ahead with U.S.-financed fumigation of coca crops.
It has been among the blocs most seriously targeted by former president Álvaro Uribe's defense plan and the Colombian Army's offensive.
Álvaro Uribe, the former president of Colombia, bears this surname, and Mexican Manuel Uribe has for some time been the heaviest man on earth.
He arrived in Colombia on August 31, 2007 and was accredited by Colombian President Álvaro Uribe on September 12, 2007.
Álvaro Uribe | Álvaro Obregón | Mario Montoya Uribe | Alvaro Vitali | Álvaro de Miranda Neto | Álvaro Colom | Manuel Uribe | Álvaro Siza Vieira | Álvaro Espinoza | Álvaro Cunqueiro | Álvaro Carrillo | Álvaro Betancourt | Trevino-Uribe Rancho | Rafael Uribe Uribe (Bogotá) | Rafael Uribe Uribe | Mariajo Uribe | Luis Uribe | Juan Uribe | Dom Álvaro Vaz de Almada's coat-of-arms | Dan Alvaro | Corrado Alvaro | Alvaro "Yaqui" Lopez | Álvaro Vargas Llosa | Álvaro Saborío | Alvaro Saborio | Álvaro Recoba | Álvaro Pintos | Álvaro Pérez de Lara | Álvaro Peña Herrero | Álvaro Peña |
In 2008, during his visit in Colombia, the Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolánek negotiated a potential sale of the combat aircraft Aero L-159 Alca with Colombian President Álvaro Uribe.