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‘Political artillery’: Farc chiefs join Colombian peace talks in Cuba Farc chiefs join Colombian peace talks in Cuba
(35 minutes later)
High-ranking guerrilla commanders joined the Colombian peace talks taking place in Cuba on Friday, injecting a sense of urgency into negotiations seeking to end Latin America’s longest-running war.High-ranking guerrilla commanders joined the Colombian peace talks taking place in Cuba on Friday, injecting a sense of urgency into negotiations seeking to end Latin America’s longest-running war.
The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc) called the presence of top commanders “political artillery”. They appeared before reporters in the latest round of talks with the government of recently re-elected President Juan Manuel Santos.The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc) called the presence of top commanders “political artillery”. They appeared before reporters in the latest round of talks with the government of recently re-elected President Juan Manuel Santos.
Among the rebel leaders joining the talks were those going by the noms-de-guerre Pastor Alape and Carlos Antonio Lozada, who have moved from the battlefield to the negotiating table. Their real names are Felix Antonio Muñoz Lascarro and Luis Antonio Losada Gallo, respectively.Among the rebel leaders joining the talks were those going by the noms-de-guerre Pastor Alape and Carlos Antonio Lozada, who have moved from the battlefield to the negotiating table. Their real names are Felix Antonio Muñoz Lascarro and Luis Antonio Losada Gallo, respectively.
Even with the talks ongoing the war has continued with the Farc and government forces clashing periodically.Even with the talks ongoing the war has continued with the Farc and government forces clashing periodically.
“This is our guerrilla command for normalisation, which will explore paths toward an agreement with officers of the army, the navy, the air force and the national police,” said Ivan Marquez, the rebel commander who normally represents Farc at the talks.“This is our guerrilla command for normalisation, which will explore paths toward an agreement with officers of the army, the navy, the air force and the national police,” said Ivan Marquez, the rebel commander who normally represents Farc at the talks.
“This will allow us to reach an armistice that the victims are demanding and the nation is clamouring for,” said Marquez, who was surrounded by 18 rebel leaders before they went behind closed doors.“This will allow us to reach an armistice that the victims are demanding and the nation is clamouring for,” said Marquez, who was surrounded by 18 rebel leaders before they went behind closed doors.
The two sides have been meeting in Havana for nearly two years to seek to end a conflict that has killed more than 200,000 people since 1964.The two sides have been meeting in Havana for nearly two years to seek to end a conflict that has killed more than 200,000 people since 1964.
They have reached agreement on three of the five planks of the talks: cooperation on eradicating the illicit drug trade; agricultural reform; and the rebels’ legal participation in politics once a comprehensive agreement is reached.They have reached agreement on three of the five planks of the talks: cooperation on eradicating the illicit drug trade; agricultural reform; and the rebels’ legal participation in politics once a comprehensive agreement is reached.
With most of the rebel command now involved, the two sides will engage in the other two planks simultaneously: reparations for war victims and the mechanics of ending the conflict. Should they reach all five agreements, the two sides would enter a sixth and final phase to create a text that would be put before the voters for ratification.With most of the rebel command now involved, the two sides will engage in the other two planks simultaneously: reparations for war victims and the mechanics of ending the conflict. Should they reach all five agreements, the two sides would enter a sixth and final phase to create a text that would be put before the voters for ratification.