The government’s delegate to the recent FARC hostage release operation condemns the actions of the guerrillas during the mission and demands the release of all remaining captives.
In a statement published on the president’s website, Eduardo Pizarro said that the government had successfully carried out its part in the mission by complying with demands for the temporary demilitarization of the required areas.
Pizarro condemned the FARC’s handling of the whole process regarding the release of these six hostages.
“The national government deeply regrets that the FARC has used these humanitarian releases for political propaganda and advertisements,” he said.
This reiterates President Juan Manuel Santos’ criticism on Saturday that the release efforts had become an “absurd media show.”
Pizarro also continued the government’s calls for the “immediate and unconditional release,” of all remaining hostages, without “media shows or political utilization.”
For their vital role in the mission, the delegate expressed his gratitude for the work of the Brazilian helicopters and pilots and the team from the Red Cross.
The final two hostages were released on Wednesday after a tumultuous few days since the failure of Sunday’s mission.
When the government suspended the restart of the operation on Monday morning, the liberation of the two men, Salin Sanmiguel and Guillermo Solorzano, was cast into doubt.
However, on Tuesday, after spending the previous day locked in negotiations with Red Cross members and heads of the state secuity agencies, the government announced that the mission would indeed go ahead.
A reason for the failure of Sunday’s operation is still unclear. While the government places the blame with the guerrilla group for providing the wrong coordinates, mediator Piedad Cordoba has since said it was a result of logistical and weather problems. The FARC released a statement on Wednesday morning refuting the government’s claims.
