On February 4, 2008, over 12 million people participated in demonstrations in 193 cities around the globe protesting FARC (The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia). While there is arguable evidence of those protests impacting an retreat of FARC presence despite the release of many who had been abducted in the aftermath, the guerilla forces have since regained strength and influence upon current President of Colombia, Juan Manuel Santos.
Interested in understanding how this massive protest was organized using Facebook, I engaged the primary organizer, Oscar Morales Guevara, that same year and set out to learn more about FARC, the Colombian government and FARC's influence on international security. It's been eye-opening to say the least. Since then, I have kept a close eye on the Facebook page, One Million Voices Against FARC, originally created to organize the massive demonstrations and have noted a significant uptick in posts which have centered around the continuing Peace Talks cited by President Santos in his reelection campaign. As opposed to accepting the term "Peace Talks" at face value, I dug around to discover that Santos' opponent, Óscar Iván Zuluaga, strongly objects to this effort.
Who opposes peace? Isn't that a goal of most?
Not if efforts are contrived. Not if efforts such as these have the potential to backfire. That is what this seems to be the case considering that Santos' decision to announce discussions with the FARC in Habana, Cuba just in time for the presidential elections. Skeptical of the timing and reports that outcomes of the talks could result in appointing members of FARC to Colombia's Congress, I reached out to Morales in an attempt to better understand the pros and cons of such outcomes. He responded by sharing a video he produced explaining his perception of the talks as well as a letter he wrote to the people of Colombia on why they should reject the political propaganda of Santos.
The video (above with captions available in English) and Morales' letter are being shared for your consideration as what transpires within a country affects humanity as a whole. The outcomes of elections are in the hands of voting Colombians but the outcomes are something everyone has to deal with in some way or another. Same goes for how American politics play out... So, read Morales' letter. It's addressed to you. Be informed.
OPEN LETTER FROM A COLOMBIAN TO THE WORLDPeace process with FARC is turning into our worst nightmare The future of Colombia had never been so dark and uncertain. Two years ago, President Juan Manuel Santos embarked the country into a negotiation process with the terrorist organization FARC (Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia) in Habana, Cuba. They called this process "Peace Talks" and were supposedly aiming to end the armed conflict that has affected Colombia for the last 50 years.
However, the government of Colombia has deceived its people. After two years of these alleged talks with FARC, President Santos has not been able to inform the citizens about results, impact, and consequences that such negotiations will have on our future as a nation. Since the negotiations in Habana were initiated, Colombia experienced a spiral of violence from FARC like we had never seen in the last ten years. During the "peace talks," FARC increased their attacks to the Colombian population, recovered their ranks, weaponry, and strength. Alarmingly, the negotiations have tolerated FARC to recover their capacity to kill Colombians, increase their bomb attacks upon populated locations, increase their attacks to our infrastructure, and grow their multibillion dollar business of cocaine production and trafficking. Worldwide, FARC remains the primary cocaine cartel.
Our future is at stake. President Santos decided to run for reelection and is using this alleged "peace process" for political gain. President Santos has manipulated the public by using the desire for peace as a political platform for his reelection at whatever cost. Just when we thought that the government of Colombia was aiming to negotiate FARC rendition and disarmament, negotiations are actually leading us to a different, insecure future. Just as we see in Venezuela, it is Marxist future where chaos will rule.
The current negotiations with FARC in Habana are now turning into our worst nightmare. Not only FARC will remain intact as an armed organization, FARC will be given seats in our Congress with the power to reform our constitution. In fact, the government of Colombia has agreed to let FARC produce reforms that will change our nation´s economic, social and political model. FARC and the government of Colombia are now allies of the same cause and they have agreed to take Colombia in the same socialist path that destroyed Cuba and Venezuela.
Many Colombians are not aware of this dark future. President Santos has been selling the idea that we will have "peace" and people are buying that deceptive idea. But we won´t have peace. The negotiations in Habana have been corrupted by President Santos' personal ambitions. His desire for reelection has led President Santos to give away our future to FARC.
The negotiations currently underway in Habana are turning into a rendition of our nation and the acceptance of FARC to rule our future. Santos needs a signed "peace agreement" at whatever cost, even if that means that FARC will rule our congress. This is an unacceptable scenario for millions of Colombians. Future generations of Colombians will not forgive us for not acting in time, when we still had the chance to save them. When we see the chaos that a Marxist model has caused Venezuela, we wonder if that same chaos will consume Colombia should we let FARC write our future and control our constitution.
We ask the world to open its eyes. This is cry for help. We reject a future in which FARC will be given political power as well as remain intact as an armed organization. The government of Colombia is running for reelection and is deceiving the public. They have been pitching this process as "peace", but the shocking reality is far different: this a process of doom for Colombians and the world.
Oscar Morales GuevaraFounder of One Million Voices Against FARC