Colombia’s largest rebel group FARC sent out a new years salute to all
Colombians in which the rebels repeat the call for a humanitarian
exchange of hostages for “political prisoners”.
The lengthy — more than 2000 words — letter extensively elaborates the “crimes, corruption and serious scandals” of the government of President Álvaro Uribe and calls 2008 a “year that will be remembered for the infamouschain of killings, violence and terror committed by the security forces.”
The guerrillas are optimistic about the “collapse of neoliberal capitalism” as they see the current global economic crisis and see a future for their socialist, bolivarian society.
The FARC again reiterated their willingness to exchange “political prisoners” and called for a constituent assembly to end the country’s 44-year violent conflict.
The Colombian army announced the final balance of its war against the Marxist rebels and says it killed 968 and captured 1904 of its guerrillas the past 365 days. According to the military, 2008 and was the FARC’s worst year ever.