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Farc's political party regains legal status | Farc's political party regains legal status |
(about 1 month later) | |
The political party linked to Colombia's left-wing Farc rebels has regained its legal status, meaning it can contest elections due next year. | The political party linked to Colombia's left-wing Farc rebels has regained its legal status, meaning it can contest elections due next year. |
Founded in 1985, the Patriotic Union was barred after it failed to present candidates to elections in 2002. | Founded in 1985, the Patriotic Union was barred after it failed to present candidates to elections in 2002. |
But the top administrative court has now ruled the party had been targeted by state-sponsored death squads, and decided to re-instate its status. | But the top administrative court has now ruled the party had been targeted by state-sponsored death squads, and decided to re-instate its status. |
The news comes amid ongoing peace talks between the Farc and the government. | The news comes amid ongoing peace talks between the Farc and the government. |
The landmark negotiations, aimed at ending five decades of violence, are taking place in Cuba. | The landmark negotiations, aimed at ending five decades of violence, are taking place in Cuba. |
The two sides have been discussing political participation for Colombia's largest guerrilla group if a peace deal gets signed. | The two sides have been discussing political participation for Colombia's largest guerrilla group if a peace deal gets signed. |
Mitigating circumstances | Mitigating circumstances |
The Patriotic Union (UP) was established during the 1985 peace talks with the government of then President Belisario Betancourt. | The Patriotic Union (UP) was established during the 1985 peace talks with the government of then President Belisario Betancourt. |
But the UP lost its legal status when it did not put forward candidates to the parliamentary and presidential elections in 2002. | But the UP lost its legal status when it did not put forward candidates to the parliamentary and presidential elections in 2002. |
In Tuesday's ruling, however, the State Court recognised there were mitigating circumstances for the UP not complying with Colombian electoral law, says the BBC's Arturo Wallace in Bogota. | In Tuesday's ruling, however, the State Court recognised there were mitigating circumstances for the UP not complying with Colombian electoral law, says the BBC's Arturo Wallace in Bogota. |
About 3,000 of its members, including several presidential candidates, were murdered by right-wing paramilitaries and drug traffickers with the complicity of the government. | About 3,000 of its members, including several presidential candidates, were murdered by right-wing paramilitaries and drug traffickers with the complicity of the government. |
Analysts say this convinced the Farc rebels that the political route was closed to them, instead resorting to military action. | Analysts say this convinced the Farc rebels that the political route was closed to them, instead resorting to military action. |
Hundreds of thousands of people have been killed since the conflict began in the 1960s, and more than three million internally displaced by the fighting, according to official estimates. | |
The Farc is thought to have some 8,000 fighters, down from about 16,000 in 2001. Last year they renounced kidnapping for ransom, a policy which had made Colombia one of the countries with the highest kidnapping rate in the world. | The Farc is thought to have some 8,000 fighters, down from about 16,000 in 2001. Last year they renounced kidnapping for ransom, a policy which had made Colombia one of the countries with the highest kidnapping rate in the world. |
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