Alvaro Uribe explained his opposition to the so-called “peace agreement” at a conference in Doral yesterday,
Uribe said that if the accords prevailed without substantive changes they could turn Colombia into another Venezuela, a reference to the government of leftist President Nicolás Maduro, perceived as a friend of Cuba and increasingly undemocratic. Maduro replaced President Hugo Chávez, who established an alliance with Havana, became friendly with FARC and set Venezuela on a path toward socialism.
“This is an agreement that opens up the possibility of Colombia opening the doors to ‘Castro-chavismo,’” Uribe told South Florida Colombians at Mondongo’s restaurant, 3500 NW 87th Ave., Doral. “The accords would resolve the Venezuelan problem, but it would create a similar one in Colombia.”
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Uribe then launched into a detailed explanation of why he opposed the accords.
First, he said, FARC’s promises cannot be trusted because it is not merely a revolutionary group, but a major drug cartel.
“The FARC became the first narco-terrorist cartel in the world and the world’s first cocaine cartel,” Uribe said.
“Days before the referendum, FARC reaffirmed its Marxist-Leninist platform and expressed that the president of Colombia had recognized their insurgency and the accords were a recognition of the triumph they had obtained,” Uribe said.
As a result, he added, FARC cannot be a reliable partner in the peace agreement, one that would foster democracy and economic growth.
