The central Colombian town of Rionegro has offered the army and the FARC to use its run-down stadium to continue the country’s 50-year old war.
Both the armed forces and the FARC have increasingly received resistance from indigenous groups in the southwestern Cauca department whose reservations have been used for the majority of combat.
“We have to show some solidarity with those indians who are obviously not amused their lands keep being used for a war that isn’t theirs,” Rionegro mayor Hernan de Jesus Ospina said Thursday. “Besides, the stadium hasn’t profitable since Rene Higuita left our team and needs to be torn down anyway.”
The mayor said he hopes to be able to receive the funds to rebuild the worn-down stadium once destructed by soldiers and guerrillas.
“If the army and the FARC pay for the reconstruction of the stadium once the war is over they are welcome to fight their war here,” said Ospina.
Additionally, the mayor said that the town could use the influx of guerrillas and soldiers to up the town’s disappointing tourism figures.
“Soldiers and guerrillas need sleep too and we have dozens of hotels that are just sitting there empty,” Ospina explained. “Besides, it may attract city folk foreigners who have had so many opinions about the war but have never actually seen someone getting killed.”
The mayor said that if the army and the FARC want, the Antioquia municipality is willing to build a paintball field, “as long as we get paid.”