FARC dissidence meets to reaffirm commitment “for peace” in Colombia

2023-04-16 19:36:50

The most important of the guerrillas heirs to the Colombian Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARC), the one led by what is known as Central Staffhas announced this Monday in a public act that peace negotiations with the government will begin on May 16.

The announcement was made at a public event held this Sunday in the Yarí savannas, in the Colombian department of Caquetá, where some 6,000 people have gathered representing peasant and ethnic organizations from 16 departments and in which the head of the guerrilla, Néstor Vera Fernández, alias ‘Iván Mordisco’.

Next to ‘ivan bite‘ have been too other leaders of this guerrilla like Martín Pérez Castro, ‘Richard’, head of the 33rd Front; Alexander Díaz Mendoza, alias ‘Calarcá Córdoba’, and Ebimilec Eregua Torres, alias ‘Alonso 45’. All veterans of the former Eastern Bloc of the FARC.

Also present were Óscar Eduardo Sandoval, ‘El Mocho’, head of the Cauca dissidents; Antonio Medina, from the 10th Front of Arauca, and alias ‘Erika’. Many of them carry the emblems of the old FARC and it has been possible to see flags, bracelets and the insignia on the guerrilla buttons.

The guerrilla has presented in the act the conclusions of the meeting of commanders and their proposals for the dialogues of peace with the Government of Gustavo Petroaccording to the Colombian press.

Thus, the group has confirmed that the ceasefire verification mechanism will be installed on April 26, as announced last week by the High Commissioner for Peace, Danilo Rueda.

The Central General Staff is the largest currently active dissidence. It is led by ‘Iván Mordisco’ since the death of Miguel Botache Santillana, alias ‘Gentil Duarte’ and has about 3,000 combatants who did not accept the Final Agreement signed in 2016.

Petro announced the opening of a “second peace process” with the dissidence of the Central General Staff of the FARC. These negotiations are added to those currently underway with the other major guerrilla in the country, the National Liberation Army (ELN).