Colombia's feared FARC rebel group said it would abandon its decades-long policy of economic kidnapping and free all military and police hostages it holds in jungle camps, another sign the drug-funded Marxist inspired insurgents may want peace.
Thousands of Colombians on Tuesday joined demonstrations demanding that the country's oldest guerrilla group, the FARC, free all its hostages, ten days after rebels murdered four men who had been held for more than a decade.The FARC responded with a promise, posted on its webpage, to release hostages.
Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez and his visiting Colombian counterpart Juan Manuel Santos subscribed Monday a trade understanding covering 3.500 items, based on the most exchanged products in recent years, and agreed on an ambitious energy projects that include neighbouring Ecuador and Panama.
When the shooting started, Police sergeant Luis Erazo scrambled into jungle canopy, the only escape from death as his Colombian guerrilla captors hurled grenades at him. Four fellow hostages were shot dead by the FARC.
President Juan Manuel Santos of Colombia began on Monday a two day visit to London. During his visit the Colombian leader will meet the Queen, Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign Secretary and other senior Ministers to discuss how the UK and Colombia can strengthen their bilateral ties.
Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos warned the new FARC rebel chief ‘Timochenko’ to reconsider waging war or risk the same fate as his predecessor, who was shot dead by Special Forces this month.
Colombia's FARC rebels rejected a plea to demobilize after the killing of their leader Alfonso Cano gave President Juan Manuel Santos his biggest military victory.
Colombia's president dissolved the country's domestic intelligence service, an agency that had become embroiled in scandal during the term of his predecessor.
Colombians elected one-time guerrilla Gustavo Petro as Bogotá mayor, the country’s second most powerful post after the presidency, in a poll on Sunday devoid of the bloodshed that marked campaigning.
Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos said on Saturday that the death of ousted Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi is a moral blow for the FARC that allegedly had ties to the north African leader.