Colombia’s Minister of Interior on Thursday said the “National Government…offers all guarantees [that the] Patriotic March” will be able to participate in politics, reported local media.
“It is very important that we say…we will respect…social movements,” announced Fernando Carrillo.
The Minister did add, however, that “there is no room for infiltration,” referring to rumors that the Patriotic March, a leftist social movement, is influenced by the leftist guerrilla group FARC — claims that the movement has consistently denied.
The Patriotic March was formed in April of 2012 and is comprised of over 1,500 different social and political organizations, making it one of Colombia’s largest leftist social movements. The leader of the Patriotic March is ex-Senator Piedad Cordoba who was banned from politics for 18 years due to her alleged ties with the FARC.
Carlos Lozano, a journalist and one of the movement’s spokespersons, reiterated last month that “the Patriotic March is not the FARC.” Lozano said that the movement is made up of social organizations that are in favor of peace and unity, not the guerrilla movement. He did admit, however, that if and when the FARC come to a peace accord with the government, the “door is open” if they “want to join the Patriotic March.”