Uribe Goes from Critic to Borderline Saboteur of Colombia Peace Talks

On the eve of a major peace march held in Bogota yesterday, Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos delivered a televised address in which he accused unnamed sectors of “poisoning” his government’s peace talks with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). This was almost certainly a veiled reference to ex-President Alvaro Uribe, who has recently stepped up his criticism of the Havana talks, and now appears to be on the verge of outright sabotaging them.

On Sunday, the former president used his Twitter account to post an internal army memo listing the coordinates where military operations had been temporarily suspended in order to guarantee the safe passage of guerrilla leaders leaving Colombia to join their comrades at the negotiating table in Cuba. Over the weekend, at least three FARC rebels were permitted to travel to Cuba, including Jorge Torres Victoria, alias “Pablo Catatumbo,” Jaime Alberto Parra Rodriguez, alias “El Medico,” and Luis Antonio Losada Gallo, alias “Carlos Antonio Lozada.”

In his Monday address, President Santos mentioned the leak of coordinates as a “truly irresponsible act,” although El Colombiano reports that he did not specifically mention his predecessor and former boss by name, in keeping with his general avoidance of direct conflict with Uribe. La Semana reports that an investigation into those responsible for passing the military memo to Uribe is underway, and they may face criminal charges if caught.

Despite the tacit rebuke, Uribe has continued his assault on the government’s peace process, accusing Santos and the country’s chief prosecutor of endorsing impunity for FARC crimes. Uribe also leveled strong criticism against yesterday’s march. In an interview with La F.M. Radio, he claimed that some 400 buses had arrived in Bogota to participate in the event, full of people who had been “forced to march” by the FARC.

While Uribe has been skeptical of the Havana talks since their beginning, his decision to leak potentially sensitive government information suggests he has moved from criticism towards active interference with the peace process. This is significant in the current political climate, as polls show that Uribe has more public support than Santos, and favorable opinion of the talks is dropping. If the former president continues to sabotage the government’s negotiation efforts, it could represent a major obstacle to an eventual peace accord.


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