Guerrilla ceasefire in Colombia met with resistance by opposition

World Today

While the international community has expressed support for Colombia’s efforts to end 50 years of armed conflict, Colombians themselves continue to express their divide. With the news of a bilateral ceasefire and the guerrillas plans for disarmament, the conservative opposition in the country blasted the deal.

CCTV America’s Michelle Begue has more.

Colombia’s Conservative Opposition Party has called on a civil resistance to a pending deal with the FARC.

“We want to present a lawsuit at the Constitutional Courts with the highest amount of signatures so that they declare the Legislation for Peace Unconstitutional,” Felix Bestos, volunteer, said. 

Former President Alvaro Uribe Velez, who has critiqued the deal’s judicial leniency for war crimes the FARC committed, is leading the opposition. 

Uribe’s political party said they have set up more than 100 posts to collect signatures across 30 cities in Colombia.

 Most of those who sign said they are opposed to a Colombian law that judicially shields a final deal from possible changes by future administrations.

“If a delinquent wants peace, they need to look for it through the constitution and do it legally. We shouldn’t be changing our laws for a delinquent,” Rodrigo Quinones said. 

Another Colombian man said he is signing because he has suffered threats from the FARC for too many years.

“What are they going to call them next Paramilitaries Criminal Groups gangs. Why does the President only want to negotiate with the FARC NO! Peace has to be done with everyone involved in the armed conflict, not just with one group,” Jorge Enrique Pinzon, a farmer said.

President Juan Manuel Santos has said Colombians will have their chance to vote in favor or against a final peace deal through a referendum vote.

The FARC has announced that if the Colombian people disapprove of a Final Peace Deal, the rebel group will not return to war, but promise to sit back down at the negotiating table.