Dissidents from the now defunct Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) guerrilla group operating in the northwestern department of Antioquia announced a ceasefire in that region of the country on Thursday after the government demanded a “gesture” to start peace negotiations.
“We would like to respond to the announcements and requests made by the President, Dr. Gustavo Petro, the last days in the municipality of Ituango (Antioquia), during a public activity. We address these words with sincerity and respect to the High Commissioner for Peace, Dr. Danilo Rueda”, says a statement of the dissident group.
The letter was also addressed to Senator Iván Cepeda and Foreign Minister Álvaro Leyva.
The 36th FARC dissident front also called on other armed groups to accept the “total peace” proposal made by President Petro.
“For this reason, we welcome the call for a multilateral ceasefire as a humanitarian gesture that, although it does not mean peace, as the president said, will bring great benefits to the situation of indiscriminate war in the department of Antioch,” he added. in his message.
Last Saturday, the Colombian president proposed a “multilateral ceasefire” for all armed groups in the country to achieve “total peace” and suspend the actions of the internal armed conflict.
The presidential statements were made during his visit to Ituango, where the second unified command post for life had been established.
