Colombia Waits
Expectantly to See FARC
Gesture
The announcement of the
prompt release of three
people held by the
Revolutionary Armed
Forces of Colombia (FARC)
revived hopes and
expectations this week
about a probable
humanitarian exchange of
prisoners.
On Tuesday, in a release
sent to Prensa Latina,
FARC announced the
release of Clara Rojas,
the vice-presidential
running mate of
presidential candidate
Ingrid Betancourt, her
son Enmanuel and
Representative Consuelo
Gonzalez.
FARC said they would be
handed over to
Venezuelan President
Hugo Chavez to make up
for their families, for
Chavez and for Colombian
Senator Piedad Cordoba,
whose mediating efforts
were cancelled by the
Colombian government.
The announcement of the
guerrilla organization
revived internal debate
on whether this
government move was
correct, as it abruptly
cancelled the efforts
oriented to a prisoner
exchange and triggered a
serious crisis between
the two countries.
Broad sectors in
Colombian society and
abroad insist that
progress made by Chavez
and Senator Cordoba was
really substantial and
have repeatedly
highlighted the need for
Colombian President
Alvaro Uribe to
reconsider his decision,
so as to renew the
process, which many
think made more progress
in the last three months
than in the five
previous years.
Succint government
remarks regarding the
FARC announcement have
limited to welcoming
this unilateral release
and the handing over to
Chavez or to any other
leader or international
organization.
However, President Uribe
has insisted in
strengthening his
democratic security
policy, direct
confrontation of
insurgency and his
refusal to establish a
buffer or demilitarized
zone in the border.
In their release, FARC
reiterated their
condition to clear
Florida and Pradera
municipalities to move
towards the prisoner
exchange, and termed
improvised and
unacceptable the
government proposal to
establish an encounter
zone.
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