A peace delegate of Colombia’s FARC rebel group said Sunday that for the first time since peace talks between the government and the guerrillas began in late 2012, the existing agreements warrant signing a peace accord.
“Never before now have there existed real conditions in order to go forward with a stable and long lasting peace treaty,” said guerrilla negotiator Ricardo Tellez, a.k.a. “Rodrigo Granada” in an interview with Ecuador’s El Telegrafo newspaper.
Granada emphasized that the “international community is highly favorable [of the peace talks]” as well, which will guide the dialogues to success.
“You don’t hear dissonant voices against the process from any one of the world centers of power,” the guerrilla continued.
These peace talks began in November 2012 and represent the fourth historic attempt at peace talks between the government and the FARC since the guerrilla group’s creation in 1964.
PROFILE: FARC
As of now, the two factions have agreed on two of a total of six agenda items: agrarian reform and political participation. The proposed agreements have not been released to the public. The illicit drug trade is currently being discussed, while demobilization, victims reparations, and ultimate implementation are still to be negotiated.
Granada concluded by asserting that enemies of the dialogues are made up by the “extreme right” and “represent a minority” in wanting to continue war.
Among those enemies, the guerrilla mentioned former President and Senator-elect Alvaro Uribe by name, who has been an outspoken voice against the peace talks since their start.
Sources
- Las FARC ven a la Constituyente como la salida a la paz (El Telegrafo)
- Farc creen que por primera vez hay condiciones de firmar paz (El Espectador)
- Las Farc aseguraron que hay condiciones para firmar un acuerdo de paz (W Radio)
