AMERICA/COLOMBIA - Satisfaction for the release of the General, but it is necessary to resume talks for a definite peace

Tuesday, 2 December 2014

Barranquilla (Agenzia Fides) - After his release and that of other two people who had been kidnapped with him, which occurred on Sunday evening, November 30, General Rubén Darío Alzate Mora held a press conference the following day in which he spoke of the kidnapping by FARC and submitted his resignation. The general said he had violated military protocol, traveling in the area of Chocó, driven by the desire to help the poor communities of the territory: he was in fact working on a project to build power generators along the river. The President of Colombia, Juan Manuel Santos, accepted his resignation.
Public opinion and politicians are still divided on the matter. Some consider the fact that the general went to a "red zone" without a minimum of security a mistake, and has undermined the peace process. Others believe that the senior officer proved to be a man loyal to his principles and to the armed forces.
Expressing satisfaction for the release of the hostages, the Archbishop of Barranquilla, His Exc. Mgr. Jairo Jaramillo Monsalve, however, claimed he is not in favor of a bilateral ceasefire, proposed by the FARC on 30 November. In the note sent to Fides by the Episcopal Conference of Colombia, the Archbishop recalls that similar past experiences did not have positive results (see Fides 09/12/2013), therefore, he stated that the proposal made by the guerrillas is not considered to be viable. Rather, he reiterated the need to continue the peace talks underway in Havana, between the government and the FARC guerrillas. (CE) (Agenzia Fides 02/12/2014)


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