Colombia will not authorize the use of outside mediators for the planned release of ten FARC hostages next week, the Ministry of Defense said Monday.
Local media reported Monday that Guatemalan Nobel Prize winner Rigoberta Menchu, an advocate for indigenous rights, had been invited by former Senator Piedad Cordoba‘s humanitarian group Colombians for Peace to mediate the hostage release slated for April 2 and April 4.
Ecuadorean Vice President Lenin Moreno Garcia is reportedly considering an invitation of his own from Cordoba to participate in the hostage release.
These developments led to a Ministry of Defense statement saying only authorized parties would be involved in the hostage release.
“The seriousness with which we’ve handled this process should be guaranteed for the release of the ten soldiers and police and should not be exploited as a promotional strategy, political or media propaganda,” the statement said.