The five hostages the FARC promised to release will be home before the end of this month, mediator Piedad Cordoba said Saturday.
“The new year message to those who are about to be surrendered is very positive. We are only working on logistics. They will be home in January already,” Cordoba told Caracol TV.
The FARC promised to release the three members of the security forces and two politicians from the south of the country on December 8. The promised release is a “humanitarian gesture” to Cordoba, who was banned from the senate for having ties to the rebel group.
The former senator said that the next step will be a “humanitarian accord” resulting in the release of all hostages held by the guerrillas. This deal involves the exchange of hostages held by guerrillas with guerrillas held in Colombian and American prisons. The Colombian government has always opposed such a deal, demanding the guerrillas release their hostages unilaterally.
However, according to Cordoba, she sees that current President Juan Manuel Santos “has given clear signs of humanitarianism” and is “very willing to be the president of peace.”