Accused “FARC-politicians” stay calm

Córdoba, who worked together with Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez to secure the release of six hostages earlier this year, told Venezuelan radiostation Radio Mundial the indictment was a smokescreen to cover up the parapolitics scandal.

Lázaro Viveros, Government adviser for the Colombian Government before Uribe, says he is concerned, but has a clear conscience. “Most of the accused have moved in between the Government and the FARC to talk about peace and a humanitarian agreement.”

He told Colombian Magazine Semana.Carlos Lozano, director of communist magazine Voz reacted calmly in Semana. “We’ll have to see what they have. My efforts have always been aimed at peace and we’ll have to see if they are punishing working for peace.

“The director doesn’t see how his upcoming trial can be compared to that of parapoliticians.”Parapolitics is supporting paramilitary groups to get votes, to get into congress, to get contracts. What we did was work for peace.

“Congressman Wilson Borja told Semana the situation doesn’t change his life. “I have nothing to say (…) I have a clear consience, because I never had any relation with the FARC,” he added.Borja wonders why the indictments were announced immediately after the return of Chief Prosecutor Mario Iguarán from the United States.American James Jones told U.S. press agency AP he considers the investigation of him “ludicrous.” He said his contacts with Reyes were purely mediation efforts, including trying to obtain the release of three U.S. military contractors held by the FARC since February 2003.

“I look at this and I laugh,” Jones said in a telephone interview from the United States.The Colombian Government will ask the Venezuelan, Colombian and U.S. Government to extradite the accused when the prosecution asks for that, Foreign Minister Fernando Araújo announced.

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