Colombia: FARC Demands Meeting With Duque Over Peace Accords

Former members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), now a political party using the same acronym, have requested a meeting with President Ivan Duque to discuss the future of the peace agreements.

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The purpose is to discuss modifications to the agreement: Duque has said his government will seek minimal prison sentences for FARC leaders found guilty of serious crimes, and to strip them from the agreed 10 parliamentary seats.

Revolutionary Alternative Force for the Commons (FARC) Senator Carlos Antonio Lozada said the group is still waiting for a meeting with the new government to discuss enforcement of the agreements reached during the presidency of Juan Manuel Santos.

"Since Duque was elected, we have declared our willingness to meet with him and his government officials," Lozada said, but so far the Colombian government has not responded to FARC's multiple petitions.

The FARC was also expecting a presidential visit to one of its reincoporation and and training spaces for former fighters in the next few weeks, but the visit has yet to be confirmed.

Duque is a strong opponent of the agreement reached between FARC's leadership and Santos, and one of his main campaign promises was to review and modify the agreement so the former rebels can't hold public posts before they go to trial.

Duque also strongly criticized the peace dialogues between Santos and another Colombian insurgent group, the National Liberation Army (ELN), held in Havana.

Duque maintains the talks shouldn't be held without a ceasefire agreement, even though the ceasefire itself was due to be part of the discussion.

The Colombian opposition to Duque's right-wing government, sponsored by Alvaro Uribe, mantains that the peace agreement with the FARC should be respected and support the dialogue with the ELN.