Colombia’s defense minister reiterated the government’s invitation for FARC guerrillas to demobilize in the aftermath of their leader’s death.
Minister Juan Carlos Pinzon told Colombia’s National Radio station that “Operation Odysseus,” which brought down “Alfonso Cano,” was developed entirely by fellow Colombians and that he invites all other guerrillas to demobilize or else meet the same fate as their leader.
“If this happened to the untouchable, to the number one, then it can happen to anyone else,” Pinzon warned.
Statements from the FARC released after the death of Cano indicate that the guerrilla organization has no intention of laying down their arms.
In a public declaration the rebel leadership announced, “Peace in Colombia will not be born from any guerrilla demobilization, but the abolition of the causes that gave birth to the uprising.”
The FARC have been fighting the Colombian state since they were founded in 1964. Once, in control of nearly one third of Colombia’s territory, the rebels have now been pushed back to the periphery of the country where they have increased the amount of deadly hit-and-run attacks on government forces.