Colombia's Former President Alvaro Uribe Blasts Peace Negotations With FARC
Alvaro Uribe said that talking to the FARC was like making deals with Al-Qaeda
Oct. 18, 2012— -- Former Colombian President Alvaro Uribe, blasted peace talks that began on Wednesday between the government of Colombia and the marxist FARC guerrillas.
In the above interview with Univision Anchor Jorge Ramos, Uribe says that negotiating with the FARC "terrorists," is like negotiating with Al Qaeda. The interview was broadcast on Sunday on the current affairs show Al Punto.
Uribe was President of Colombia from 2002 to 2010. In recent years he has become an outspoken critic of Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos, and his decision to seek peace talks with the FARC.
Uribe points out that guerrilla attacks on Colombian oil infrastructure have increased under Santos' watch. He argues that the FARC have showed no signs of stopping their fight agains the Colombian state, and that under such conditions, negotiating with the FARC is akin to rewarding them for their crimes.
Uribe is the most vocal voice of Colombians who do not agree with the current peace talks. However his views appear to represent a minority of the population. Several polls conducted in Colombia recently, suggest that anywhere from 60 to 77 percent of Colombians approve of the peace negotiations.
