Colombia’s former President Uribe, an outspoken opponent of the peace talks between Colombia’s largest rebel group and the government, has published photographs of FARC leaders relaxing on a boat in Cuba.
FARC delegate Rodrigo Granda confirmed the identity of aliases “Ivan Marquez” and “Jesus Santrich” in photographs published on a website loyal to former President Alvaro Uribe and his right wing Uribe Centro Democratico party. The photo also features a woman thought to be Tanja Nijmeijer, another high-ranking FARC official.
Sibaritas de terrorista Farc ,La Habana,mientras en Colombia realizan secuestros masivos -pescas milagrosas- pic.twitter.com/iRKhCLuFk6
— Álvaro Uribe Vélez (@AlvaroUribeVel) November 3, 2013
In text accompanying the image, the website’s editors said, “This images says more than 1,000 words… it demonstrates the capitalist and bourgeois practices of the FARC secretariat.”
According to El Colombiano, Granda argued that the FARC commanders had the right to rest during the peace talks. Granda attacked the Uribe website’s decision to publish the photos.
“They are hurting the peace process,” said Granda. “These photos were sent by a man who takes photos for paramilitaries, and like Mr. Uribe, has no morals.”
The photos lit up social media channels, eliciting criticism from Uribe on his Twitter feed calling the FARC commanders “terrorist pleasure seekers.”
The Havana peace talks have been developing since November 18, 2012. Negotiators are under increased pressure to reach agreements before next year’s nationals election. Concerned about what effect a new administration could have on ongoing peace talks, the Colombian government and FARC negotiators recently agreed to extend talks until a solution emerges on the second discussion point in the negotiations’ six-item agenda: political participation.
MORE: Peace talks to extend until political participation agreement reached
Sources
- Rodrigo Granda confirmó que la foto en yate es real (El Colombiano)
- Polémica por fotos de negociadores de Farc en un yate en Cuba (Caracol Radio)