Fernando Araujo, a minister of economic development in the cabinet of Colombian president Andre Pastranas, jogs on the streets of his hometown, Cartagena, Colombia. He is going home to celebrate the birthday of his new wife, Monica. Without warning, he is kidnapped and driven into the jungle, where he learns he is a prisoner of Martin Caballero, one of the most dangerous leaders of the FARC guerrilla movement. For the next six years, Fernando is held captive by the guerrillas, hoping that the government can negotiate his release. To keep his sanity, Fernando tutors young guerrillas and tunes into a radio program to hear messages from his relatives. When negotiations with the guerrillas fail in the fall of 2006, Fernando realizes he may never get out alive. In addition, the guerrillas tell Fernando that his wife has left him for another man, testing Fernando's faith in Monica. On New Year's Eve 2006, while his captors prepare for a party, Fernando hears a fleet of helicopters zoom overhead. Gunfire erupts everywhere. In the chaos, Fernando has to make a split second decision: to run for his life or die trying.