Colombian Senator Piedad Cordoba voiced concerns over the methods employed by the army to rescue four FARC hostages on Sunday.
Cordoba said that rescue missions such as Operation Chameleon, which rescued hostages General Luis Mendieta, Colonel Luis Enrique Murillo, Sergeant Arbey Argote on Sunday and Colonel William Donato on Monday, are not the best solution, as they put hostages’ lives at risk.
The senator said that although fortunately Sunday’s operation turned out well, one must remember that “Colombia is effectively at war.”
Cordoba added that instead of performing military rescue operations, the Colombian government should be working towards negotiating a prisoner exchange, whereby FARC hostages are released in return for incarcerated guerrillas.
According to the senator, “there is no other possibility for ending the war.”
Cordoba also responded to declarations by presidential candidate Juan Manuel Santos, who is reported to have said that if elected he will not make any deal with the FARC.
“He is heir to the militarized politics of the country,” said Cordoba, “This is a triumph for him in terms of his campaign and Colombia does not win like this, because it is a country that could achieve peace by other means.”
