Colombia’s government and former FARC commander “Ivan Marquez” of guerrilla group “Segundo Marquetalia” announced formal peace talks.
In a joint press statement, Marquez and Peace Commissioner Otty Patiño said they would begin “a process of sociopolitical talks that conduce to the signing of a peace accord.”
The guerrillas and the government of President additionally vowed to reach provisional deals to deescalate violence.
Marquez and Patiño also said they would ask the United Nations, and the governments of Cuba, Norway and Venezuela to accompany the process.
The announcement comes more than a year and a half after President Gustavo Petro and Segunda Marquetalia first expressed their interest in a peace process that would include the group formed by dissident former FARC commanders.
Since their rearmament in August 2019, Marquez has tried to incorporate other FARC dissident groups and recover the territorial control they had before the demobilization of the FARC in 2017.
This effort was opposed by the military and other illegal armed groups, including the EMC, which was founded by former FARC commander “Ivan Mordisco” in 2016.
Formal talks between the EMC and the government started months ago already, and are being supported by a bilateral ceasefire.
In order to also facilitate peace talks with Segunda Marquetalia, the armed forces suspended military operations against the guerrilla group in January of last year.
The talks with the FARC dissident groups as well as other illegal armed groups are part of Petro’s “Total Peace” policy.
This peace initiative seeks to consolidate advances made by former President Juan Manuel Santo, who signed peace with the FARC in 2016.