I Was Kidnapped by a Colombian Guerrilla Army: Correspondent Confidential

Reporter T. Christian Miller was based in Colombia during the height of the US government's war on drugs. As the US began to pour money into fighting the cocaine trade in Colombia, it inevitably spilled over into fighting the rebel groups that controlled-and "taxed"-the areas where coca plants were grown. When Miller went into the jungle to report on a government helicopter that was shot down during a mission to spray coca plants, he and his assistant were kidnapped by the FARC, a left-wing guerrilla army.
Watch the first episode of Correspondent Confidential here: • Posing as a Prostitute...
Check out the Best of VICE here: bit.ly/VICE-Best-Of
Subscribe to VICE here! bit.ly/Subscribe-to-VICE
Check out our full video catalog: bit.ly/VICE-Videos
Videos, daily editorial and more: vice.com
Like VICE on Facebook: vice
Follow VICE on Twitter: / vice
Read our tumblr: / vicemag

[@TreeFiddehSeven]

"I was at the wrong place at the wrong time." You walked directly into a rebel camp.

[@jahdelion3906]

Bizarro yeeep at that moment he knew, he fucked up

[@mrs.chandler9384]

He wasn’t kidnapped. He was detained for going into a rebel camp.

[@mikhailkallashnikov7360]

One thing is clear, he wasnt kidnapped he went to them.

[@jfecaz]

That's true

[@Craxlus]

this guy sounds naive and wreckless....lucky to be alive

[@alexrockclimber]

A bit arrogant is what I would say

[@GamingTaylor]

With the music, and comical tone this video didn't seem as serious as it should have been.

[@kittykitty101001]

It doesn't have to be a depressing mess.

[@Dimensionaluk]

He was only imprisoned for a day.

[@andreasomke]

Callum Hickson I'd like to see you imprisoned for at least 3 hours,you would be crapping your pants dude

[@Dimensionaluk]

***** Yes, maybe if I was a tourist and not a war correspondent.

[@jameswray50]

***** lol yeah. Because being kidnaped by teenagers with guns isnt a serious situation.

[@TheGerogero]

"Let's go visit an active guerrilla army, nothing bad could possibly happen. Herp derp!" Cool story though.

[@D.M.S.]

He wasn't kidnapped, he walked in their camp and was forced to stay.

[@suicideseattle5012]

Being forced to stay anywhere by another person is called kidnapping you don't even have to be smart enough to know that because its in the description of what kidnapping is. Literally you don't even have to have a single brain cell left to know that because its freaking obviously stated in the law. How many times have you been dropped on your head as a kid? Also can you tell me where you live so I can invite any women you have over to my house to force them to then stay their and see how that goes down with the law when I state its okay its not kidnapping because one of their own family members said its just forcing someone to stay AKA KIDNAPPING!

[@D.M.S.]

***** What does 'favor' mean?

[@calebhill737]

kidnapping noun 1. an act of abducting someone and holding them captive. They kidnapped him as they abducted him and took him captive.

[@seankhan2378]

You guys should stop arguing and apply for jobs

[@rannychin7497]

Should I just thumps up you to troll?

[@MFTQ]

*walks into a fucking rebel gurriella camp* *gets kidnapped* "How could this happen?!?!"

[@josephgibriel4064]

The most lucky guy I ever seen. Probably all the guys you met that night are already dead.

[@2011blueman]

His plan was to just enter FARC controlled territory unannounced and ask around for an interview. Probably the stupidest "plan" I've ever heard of. I keep wondering if he said his "plan" out loud to anyone before doing it.

[@dargon1084]

A very serious situation told in a relaxed and comical way, guy's not traumatised in the least

[@greedzeeya2120]

My father died in a serious car accident I watched happen, I saw his body mangled and then explode before the emergency responders could stop the explosion of the car. I have been able to find a way to relieve and talk about this situation even in comical ways. It's just the mindset, not the experience that defines the trauma.

[@tehshortnoob]

Johnny Bottom I feel for you. R.I.P

[@Humberto4790]

Just because you say something calmly doesn't mean you're not traumatized. Do you expect him to cry every time or something?

[@NaturelDeese]

Exactly

[@nicolasvillamil7523]

Maybe because there was nothing to be traumatized about? It's not like they tortured him or anything. The only challenge he faced was his own thoughts about not knowing what's going to happen to him.

[@symbolxchannel]

They were relatively nice with them... They had absolute power over them! :-0

[@TheTymera]

***** "Right, as the world goes, is only in question between equals in power, while the strong do what they can and the weak suffer what they must."

[@marcjavier08]

Well.. That escalated quickly...

[@Gradymeister]

You can say the same thing with The Walking Dead S4 mid season finale. God damn that was quite the fight...

[@euhimlost]

Thekillers413 Y U NO stop spoiling? jk I don't what the show.

[@hamishlungo]

Thekillers413 god damn thats completely unrelated to this video plus twd isnt that good anyway u giiiiump

[@juand3962]

He was NOT in the wrong place at the wrong time he literally asked for it.

[@CathaterW]

Really love the way these stories are told with the animated visuals!

[@RDRF_SB13]

Kidnapped? "Hey kid, I've got some candy in my rebel camp". I respect what reporters do, but what did you expect turning up to a guerilla camp, uninvited, in the middle of activity?

[@RexHesch]

Cudos! What a sigh of relief! That feeling like you just got away clean from under the shit storm can be exhilarating and mind boggling. Makes ya think, not destined to die today.

[@TrapLoveUnited]

I absolutely love the animation on these videos, fantastic.

[@minch333]

Reporters are so ballsy! Amazing story man, thanks for sharing

[@1AlejoYT]

Excellent video. Engrossing narrative. Scary anecdote. Amusing graphics. The music added a great touch (specially with the "pet commander"). Nice one VICE!! =D

[@coltonanderson291]

He said "I was just gonna drive around until I saw the rebels." Probably the most badass thing that has ever come out of a humans mouth.

[@rastajuan7]

Im from Colombia, and you were very very lucky

[@jamesbodington2678]

Really nice animation and well told story, nice one vice!

[@6to1]

This was fantastic.

[@crdude806]

VICE starting to bring out more videos , like VICE did in the past ... THANK GOD.

[@LeonardEisen]

This is why we love you, Vice. Excellent.

[@zerpexan]

Finally. A good Vice video,its been awhile.

[@olivierbufole1291]

Dude you shouldn't just go to a rebel camp unannounced no wonder they kept you hostage. Your very lucky that you were kept for not that long and you weren't in war time.

[@Adam-ni6ne]

More often than not, these little rebel groups actually like having the press come talk to them, even outside of Colombia. They want people from other countries to know about them and fear them, or sometimes garner support (for example the Irish Republic Army let reporters from the US talk to them, because they wanted support from Irish-American families)

[@JeremyClayy]

that wasn't so bad, yeah they were actually cool guys. lmao

[@mrnic3058]

Jeremy Clay Lol dude they probably shot the poor guys that brought him to the rebel camp but I love how the reporter is worried about his family and that he won’t see his kids for two years when the guys who got shot will never see his family

[@TokedOutVlad]

"AKA 47's" ..I chuckled :D

[@silvernug]

Oh a video on war and guns? AAAAAAAAAAAAAAND suddenly less dislikes. I've said it before and i'll say it again, Vice is not a war news or documentary channel. They make interesting videos for every spectrum, and they all deserve their own spot lights. They shouldn't be held to different standards, but i really hate seeing perfectly fine, well edited, produced, thought out, written videos, being bashed for being "boring".

[@JrJr-zr1fv]

What a episode vice... 👏

[@erikaarnold4780]

I really enjoy these animations.

[@IndigoVibes]

hoping for a series of stories done in this way

[@aznmickster]

The quality of vice videos have gone down recently, I think it's been a while since I watched something from this channel. Pretty disappointed so far.

[@DawnOfThaDusk]

you guys are hard as fuck to please

[@AntonioPerez1990]

I think it's because good old Rupert Murdoch bought VICE.

[@AntonioPerez1990]

MaxPower No need to be immature about this. I didn't mean to make that comparison. I'm simply saying that a business man, who is known for having a lot of large companies, is now part of this and is probably taking away from the quality.

[@YTJRBC2]

interesting story, tho he walked into the lion's mouth, good it only lasted one day.

[@alz230]

what disgust me of him is that he has a wife and a child ...

[@KenzieNTheMinivan]

alz230 Shame on all those people leaving their families to do dangerous things that provide for said families. Shame on them! Like the people in the army, or under-cover agents! How dare they.

[@check-static-lines]

alz230 Hey, someone's gotta do it sometimes.

[@nilsius1]

What is the name of the song/music being played at the ending?

[@foccachia]

I wish I could know with what they make there presentations!

[@wildzooking]

That was the best story ever and he told it in ten mins

[@kittykitty101001]

Please post more videos like this with interesting stories.

[@philipboblasky9473]

This held my attention

[@GWConspiracy]

This was really interesting!

[@melv4194]

If anyone from Vice, or any one that works for Vice is reading this, this is the type if content your viewers love, bring back the long interesting documentaries..

[@Zoco.]

The guy in the canoe looks like Carl from Aqua teen hunger force

[@xcvsdxvsx]

Wait how is this anarchy if we have a territorial monopoly that makes money by taxing and kidnapping? that sounds EXACTLY like a government. =P

[@PolygammesRock]

Awesome video

[@leoandsan]

I love reading comments from people who are incompetent and ignorant in the matter.

[@Rafinhaa3]

Brilliant, I'm loving this series (hopefully it is a series, since you've posted also the story of the East European human trafficking)

[@AncientMysteriesAndInnovations]

I love the puppy carrying general lol

[@alz230]

I can't beleive he didnt expect this to happen ... God damn it's almost if he asked them for it

[@mdc640]

Anyone know the song playing during the credits?

[@PureHeavenlySultan]

4:08 That is how I look Every Weekend, BWUAHAHAHHAHA :D

[@crystalchi]

Really?? wanna go out???

[@ThatsNotEnglish]

Great video.

[@sammyston]

WOW brillent idea u had there dude !!!

[@didyouseethatunicorn]

wrong place wrong time? fool you willingly walked straight into their camp haha but damn that's gotta be a fucking crazy experience

[@vanks1]

Pretty good story

[@xScrrream]

pretty good? that's an understatement.

[@onuedy]

where are the old vice videos when you can see the terrorists and hear gun shots everywhere?...

[@keithhendrickson8522]

I'd say this is more a case of good god dumb and extremely lucky, rather than "wrong place at the wrong time."

[@Cydia942]

This is MADNESS.

[@ctb2010ify]

Muy enteresante

[@chicoflowers1523]

Literally like the movie “monos” , really good

[@CoconutCrabGaming]

1:35 is a farcry3 reference with the reverse mirror thing

[@maxpowers3494]

Three letters CIA.

[@juanpablochaconvargas6919]

this was really interesting for me because i'm a colombian

[@ZanderVanBarrel]

Whats the music playing on the Generals boat again?

[@cristianmateus5223]

Vallenato

[@latindolphin]

Glad that you survived. These people are ruthless

[@blackoreanation]

well thats off the old bucket list.

[@licensedblockhead]

good job vice, dis is wat i like

[@rogeyTSIA]

Lol at least you got something to tell your kid and grand kids XD

[@derinjturner]

fascinating .

[@BOOSETO]

Wrong place wrong time? You mean you were in Columbia at any given moment.

[@milena1434]

It's not like they kidnap you in front of your house....

[@elpacificador93]

genius is Colombia not columbia

[@ussabuelhage2826]

Awesome story

[@emnm8374]

great story i enjoyed it

[@Alejo__]

My grandfather in the mid 90s got robbed by a group of guerillas. At a "military checkpoint" they stopped him and stole his car and gun. Made him and his cousin walk for miles until they found the car later during the week all torn to shit. You can always tell whos a real soldier or a guerilla fighter. You tell by their boots. An actual colombian soldier will have specific boots rather than some cheap ones or whatever else. Because theyre only issued to soldiers or police.

[@louisvervaeke9150]

This would be a good episode for locked up abroad

[@AnnaFan2323]

wrong place, wrong time?! what the fuck were you thinking??!!

[@jond3955]

Wrong place wrong time? More like walked right into it.

[@stephanramchan4595]

😂😂😂😂all I could've done was laugh while watching 😂😂😂😂😂

[@OdinMMA]

I think the aim of the US was to fight the rebels not destroy the drugs. America makes money from drugs however Left-wing communist rebels who often spread the drug money to the poor were an issue. Ref. Noam Chomsky

[@kittykitty101001]

Interesting.

[@RamirezHD]

I was born in Bogota, Colombia. Now living in USA. Understand what you had to go through. I am glad you are k, as those guerrillas are ruthless when they want. Luckily, they have a hierarchical order. Even though, the video seems like a cartoon, a fun anecdote, and Miller is k. Please, do not forget that this is very real even today, and as you are reading this comment there are people chained to a tree in the jungles of Colombia. The dirty money from drugs and the consumption of it have our countries fu****.

[@DodecahedronIM]

this is not very k

[@DarthVaderKenobiTV]

Funny how I live here in Colombia, facing danger everyday and still love my country dearly :D

[@IvanPerez-pv7br]

Is this story even real???

[@rny999]

these 'humans' are scarier than any zombie or titan horde ive ever heard of

[@Maex__]

Can you really call it kidnapping when you walk right into the camp of the guerrillas??

[@rumdonkey7826]

RIP Boatman

[@Cloud9Kennels]

CRAZY!!!

[@cristian0523]

That was 11 years ago, and things are different now, and you obviously wont go directly into the dragons lair. I have 17 years old and ive never experienced contact with the conflict even though i dont live in a big city. What i mean is the country is safe now and avoid to come here is for that for an american is like avoid to go to USA with fear of be in other 9/11 PS: sorry for my english and please tell me if a have a grammar error

[@FabianPetrel]

Very lucky mate!

[@twotonesound367]

All i could say watching this was, "this is fucking nuts!"

[@jfecaz]

Thats our typical life at least I'm in a safe place

[@gj75845]

Coool story bro

[@Capydachi]

Anyone else laugh when he said the teens "...had AKA 47's"

[@ezekielgodisstrength6028]

Would've been crazy to see fidel Castro walking in on the camp and see there reaction lmao!!

[@crystalchi]

3:29 lmaooo great video btw

[@Maelstr0m]

Wow thats really lucky!

[@mar01042aegean]

what kind of a reporter lands on a rebel controlled area and just asks around random people's help on taking him to a military camp uninvited? Are you serious?

[@December151791]

dude, I was like kidnapped and shit, it was rad.

[@Doesitmatter00710]

seriously lucky guy

[@slendersdad9345]

Iim irish and colombian and proud to be from colombia too from cali

[@BrendaCarrolllovesPalestine]

That's a really cool mix!

[@SomebodyPerfectly]

USA Goverment be like "Yeah I guess I'llgive someone money and all the problems will dissapear"