Colombians stage anti-government protests across country
Thousands of people have taken to the streets in over 20 cities across Colombia to express anger at the government for its peace talks with the rebels from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).
The Saturday protests came just days after the government of Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos launched peace talks with the country’s second-biggest rebel group, the National Liberation Army (ELN), in a bid to end a half-century-old bloody conflict in the country.
The demonstrations were called by the Democratic Center party of former president, Alvaro Uribe, who has always expressed opposition to negotiations with rebel groups.
Carrying banners with the picture of Santos and the messages “Traitor resign now” and “No more impunity,” the protesters swarmed through city centers.
Despite heavy rain, an estimated 20,000 protesters filled the main Bolivar Square in the capital, Bogota. No clashes occurred between police and the demonstrators.
The demonstrators also shouted slogans against the government over its handling of the economy.
“This protest is a general dissent against the government of President Santos. We do not want impunity in the peace processes. We are tired of so many lies and bad economic management, taxes and inflation,” Francisco Santos, a former vice president, said.
Bogota and FARC have been at war since the guerrilla movement rose to prominence in 1964. The conflict has so far killed more than 260,000 people, displaced 6.6 million others and left a further 45,000 missing.
The two sides have been holding peace talks in the Cuban capital, Havana, since November 2012. The negotiations have made a number of advances in recent months.
Several main areas of disagreement have been discussed in the talks, and deals have been reached on transitional justice, land reform, political participation for former rebels, putting an end to drug trafficking, removing land mines and efforts to find missing persons.
The issue of disarmament and a mechanism for ratifying the final accord are still under discussion.
A United Nations mission will monitor the group’s disarmament once a peace deal is inked.
Netanyahu a 'war criminal', President Petro tells UN General Assembly
Dropping bombs on children in Gaza and not opposing war is anti-Semitic: Petro
Colombia takes steps against Zionist entity
What led to dilly-dallying in ICC arrest warrants against Netanyahu, Gallant
Palestinians flee Gaza City suburb after Israel issues forced evacuation order
Iran says will discuss key nuclear, regional issues with France, Germany, UK
VIDEO | Israeli archaeologist killed in Southern Lebanon
VIDEO | Israeli airstrike on Lebanon's army base kills soldier, injures 18 others
VIDEO | Sirens sound across Tel Aviv as Hezbollah fires barrage of missiles at Israeli target
Israeli ‘archeologist’ who toured south Lebanon in military uniform to falsify history
The importance of Venezuela for Iran
PressTV NEWSLETTER
now
This makes it easy to access the Press TV website
