Colombia: FARC Warns Ivan Duque Gov't About Discredit Campaign

Colombia's Alternative Revolutionary Force of the Common (FARC) warned the Colombian government on Friday that it is conducting a discredit campaign against peace guarantor institutions.

RELATED: 

IACHR Concerned About Killings of Social Leaders in Colombia

"It is worrying to see the President of the Republic (Ivan Duque) at the head of this offensive, exercising pressure that openly violates the independence of the powers of the State, against the Special Jurisdiction for Peace (JEP)," FARC said.

As part of Peace Agreements signing, JEP was founded in 2017 to investigate former guerrilla militants and Colombian Army members who participated in the armed conflict, as well as other parties.

FARC also denounced the attempts to discredit and disband the Integral System of Truth, Justice, Reparation, and Non-Repetition (SIVJRNR), a paramount institution that advocates for armed conflict victims' rights.

The disrepute operation worsened after FARC party senator Griselda Lobo was elected for the Senate's vice-presidency.  

 "As all this happens, we see dozens of corpses of compatriots murdered because of their status as social leaders, ex-guerrillas, and human rights defenders parading before our eyes," FARC added.

The former guerrillas called on Ivan Duque's administration and Colombian people to understand only peace can push Colombia forward during the complexity of the pandemic and political conflicts.