• Tweeter

  • republish

Colombian President Ivan Duque in Medellin, June 26, 2019. JOAQUIN SARMIENTO / AFP

This is a blow to peace in Colombia. In a video released on Thursday (August 29th), Ivan Marquez, formerly number two of the former FARC guerrillas, announced with other former guerrillas his intention to resume the armed struggle. The news has had the effect of a bomb in Colombia where political reactions were not long in coming.

The first to react to the video posted during the night is Alvaro Uribe. The former Colombian president who waged a bloody war against the FARC, remains a sworn enemy of the peace agreements. It's only 5 in the morning this Thursday when he writes on Twitter not to be surprised : " There was no peace here. There was only amnesty for those responsible for atrocious crimes. "

His successor, Juan Manuel Santos, who had initiated and signed peace agreements between the government and the guerrillas , wants on the contrary more determined than ever. " 90% of former FARC guerrillas are still in the peace process ," said the former head of state, for whom " dissidents must be punished ".

This was supported by the former guerrilla leader who leads the party from the former armed group. " A shame " is what Rodrigo Lodoño calls the announcement of his former comrades, before ensuring: " We are still here, ready to act legally in favor of the peace process. "

As for the current Colombian government of President Ivan Duque , he says he is " concerned but not surprised " by this return to arms. Bogota fears a future alliance between the new FARC guerrillas and the other Colombian armed group, the ELN. An alliance behind which, the government already sees the hand of the Venezuelan neighbor.

► See also: Colombia: " The peace agreements are not dead "