CUBA: FARC's head negotiator Ivan Marquez accuses Colombian authorities of corruption as tensions mount during peace talks in Havana

Record ID: 349850

  • Title: CUBA: FARC's head negotiator Ivan Marquez accuses Colombian authorities of corruption as tensions mount during peace talks in Havana
  • Date: 7th March 2014
  • Summary: HAVANA, CUBA (MARCH 06, 2014) (REUTERS) MEDIA PEACE NEGOTIATORS REPRESENTING THE REVOLUTIONARY ARMED FORCES OF COLOMBIA, OR FARC, ARRIVING MORE OF MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) FARC LEAD NEGOTIATOR, IVAN MARQUEZ, SAYING: "(Defence) Minister (Juan Carlos) Pinzon has called on some of our spokespeople to speak out about the reality of drug trafficking in the FARC without taki
  • Embargoed: 22nd March 2014 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Cuba
  • Country: Cuba
  • Topics: General,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA6PH3URLWCQH179IJAFNK7ONYN
  • Story Text: The Colombian government and left-wing FARC rebels returned to the negotiation table in Havana on Thursday (March 06) amid a war of words from the rebel movement accusing the government of corruption and defence minister of shady dealings.
    In the 21st round of peace talks, the FARC and Colombian government are seeking common ground on illicit drugs in a post-conflict scenario, including the prevention of trafficking and consumption.
    Negotiators for the leftist rebels have delivered a set of initiatives to tackle the country's drug problem, including a new strategy to treat drug use in the country as a health issue and expropriate the capital of drug gangs and invest them back into poor rural communities.
    Speaking to media in Havana, FARC's lead negotiator Ivan Marquez called for an independent truth commission into Colombia's billion-dollar trafficking industry.
    "(Defence) Minister (Juan Carlos) Pinzon has called on some of our spokespeople to speak out about the reality of drug trafficking in the FARC without taking notice of our relatives that we have explained. Among out proposals, and we reiterate now, the demand for the establishment of specialist independent truth commission of the transnational capital business of drug trafficking so that in this space the arguments and conclusions come to the fore for all and those really responsible for this scourge in which the institution that represents the (defence) ministry is smeared," he said.
    The latest round of peace talks come amid a report from a Colombian news magazine that members of the military had intercepted the text messages of the government team negotiating with guerrilla representatives in Havana, Cuba.
    Marquez also accused the government of jeopardising peace talks by keeping up its military assault against the rebel movement within Colombia and accused Pinzon of being involved in recent scandals to hit the nation's army.
    "This issue was what was missing in his (President Juan Manuel Santos') visit to Washington, the CIA appears to have assigned it a lackey status. The everyday firing goes against the peace proposal that Colombians are calling for. They (authorities) are indebted to the country in regards to the current corruption scandals affecting the armed forces. And not exempt, the scandals related to business negotiations which favour suppliers of the defence ministry, the receipt of perks, deals, cushy jobs, apartments," added Marquez.
    The Colombian government has been involved in peace talks with the FARC for 15 months to seek an end to a conflict that mushroomed out of land conflicts five decades ago and that has gone on to kill more than 200,000.
    The Colombian government wants a peace accord by the November start of a national electoral cycle, a deadline both parties and observers now say will not be met and may complicate the talks.
    Colombian government negotiator Humberto de la Calle accused the FARC of stalling progress in the talks.
    "The FARC delegation is referring to the Defence Ministry in terms that we cannot accept. Instead of creating an environment that is favourable to peace, the FARC with their language are reducing confidence and creating obstacles for good work on the meeting table. It seems to be that this is all to impede advances in talks," said de la Calle.
    Despite mounting tensions, the government has vowed to stay the course of peace talks without getting involved in a tit-for-tat verbal fight.
    "The government delegation will play the game that the FARC is not trying to play us into, to turn the negotiating table into a boxing ring. This is not the proposal of these conversations (but) to become a stage to look for peace and reconciliation and not war, in this occasion a verbal war. What is the purpose of the FARC? This is something that the government is not willing to or to propose in the negotiation table. The government will not take this absurd path," he added.
    The two sides have reached tentative agreement on two of five major topics, on land use and the FARC's political future as an unarmed group. They are progressing toward a third agreement on the issue of drug trafficking.
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