Colombia: Rodrigo Granda, former head of the Farc, arrested in Mexico

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20 October 2021 Mexican police and Interpol arrested Rodrigo Granda, one of the leaders of the former Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) yesterday in Mexico, at the request of the Colombian government. Federal government officials, reports Milenio TV, confirmed the capture carried out in Mexico City on the basis of a 'red code' issued by Interpol. Until yesterday evening, the Colombian government had not made any public comment on the matter, and Granda's arrest had not been confirmed by official sources.

Former member of the Colombian Communist Party, in 1997 Granda was appointed member of the FARC Central Staff and member of the International Guerrilla Commission in Costa Rica. Known as the FARC "Foreign Minister", he worked for the relaunch of the former Colombian presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt, and was part of the guerrilla delegation to the peace negotiations that took place in Havana.

Confirmation of the news comes via Twitter, from former guerrilla commander and now parliamentarian for the Comunes party, Carlos Lozada, called the arrest a "flagrant violation" of the peace agreements signed in 2016 with the Bogota government that put an end to 50 years of Colombian internal conflict. Rodrigo Granda was one of the peace negotiators in Havana, a process that began in 2012 and led to the memorable 2016 peace agreement, followed by the disarmament of the FARC.

"They arrested Rodrigo Granda in Mexico City", it says recalling that the peace agreement concluded more than half a century of rebel struggle.

"He was traveling accompanied by Rodrigo Londono, president of the party, and other comrades in a delegation," Carlos Lozada told a Colombian media, saying he was traveling with the authorization of the Special Tribunal for Peace (JEP), a Colombian institution. emerged from the peace agreement that is investigating crimes committed during the conflict.

#Urgent, detuvieron en México a Rodrigo Granda, a pesar que salió del país with authorization of JEP, nos informan que gobierno de @IvanDuque pidió a Interpol activar circular roja mientras iba flying hacia México, en clara violación del Acuerdo de Paz que quieren trizas.

pic.twitter.com/dNGmRPyGyQ

- Carlos A. Lozada (@JGalloComunes) October 20, 2021

President Ivan Duque "continues to attack the peace process, has asked Interpol to reactivate the red warning against Rodrigo Granda, leader of the Comunes party and signatory of the peace agreement ", the Comunes party added on twitter." Respect those of us who believe in peace and do your duty by letting us participate in politics, "commented the same party.

#Urgent estando in #Mexico tomamos conocimiento de la detción por Interpol de #RodrigoGranda @RodrigoGCOMUNES one of the firmantes de los acuerdos de Paz de #Colombia firmados in La Habana, integrantes de @ComunesCoL miembro del @ForodeSaoPauloCt0Cwitter.com/

- alejandro rusconi (@ale_rusconi) October 20, 2021