Colombia’s congress has expressed its displeasure with the recent announcement that the peace talks with FARC guerrillas have been postponed four days.
“We did not like the postponement of the talks by four days. Citizen participation is [already] underway. 1,200 organizations in six regional boards,” tweeted a disgruntled Roy Barreras, who is the president of the Senate.
No nos gusto el aplazamiento de los dialogos x 4 dias. La participacion ciudadana esta en marcha. 1200 organizaciones en 6 mesas regionales.
— Roy Barreras (@RoyBarreras) November 13, 2012
Barreras’ dissatisfaction was echoed by the president of the House of Representatives, Augusto Posada, who greeted the news, “with great pessimism.”
“I think the Government should rethink whether or not to continue with these talks,” said Posada. He added, “I do not see a clear intention on the part of the FARC, a clear message to the Colombian people that they want peace.”
“If there is no will [for peace talks] then we simply follow a military strategy to subdue the people [FARC] who are against what the vast majority of Colombians want,” argued Posada.
The Colombian government issued a press release Tuesday claiming that peace talks would be delayed by four days. “On Monday 19 in Havana, Cuba, negotiators will begin discussion on the agreed agenda,” said the statement.
Senior representatives from the Colombian government and FARC inaugurated the peace process in the Norwegian capital of Oslo on October 18. This is the latest attempt between the two sides to broker a peace deal since 2002.