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Colombia: Is the U.S. pressuring Uribe to accept FARC terms?

Spain’s El País reports (in Spanish)
EE UU media entre Santos y Uribe sobre el proceso de paz en Colombia. En dos reuniones, el expresidente expresó sus reparos y propuestas y el Gobierno le aclaró “informaciones equivocadas” [U. S. mediates between Santos and Uribe on the Colombian peace process. In two meetings, the former president stated his misgivings and proposals and the Government cleared up “erroneous information.”]

Los dos encuentros, el primero el 12 de julio y el segundo este martes en la mañana, se han dado por invitación del enviado especial de Obama para el proceso de paz, Bernard Aronson, y el embajador de Washington en Bogotá, Kevin Whitaker. La primera duró dos horas y se centró, según Villegas, en la necesidad de que haya una “unión nacional” frente a los temas de paz. También se habló sobre la seguridad del país, una de las mayores preocupaciones del uribismo que insiste en que se ha deteriorado desde el inicio de los diálogos de paz con las FARC, hace ya tres años.

[My translation: The two meetings, on July 12th and last Tuesday, took place by invitation from Obama’s special envoy to the peace process in Havana, Bernard Aronson, and the U.S. Ambassador to Bogota, Kevin Whitaker. The first meeting lasted two hours and focused, according to (Colombia’s Defense Minister Luis Carlos) Villegas, on the need for a “national union” on the peace issues. They also discussed national security, a major priority of uribismo which insists has deteriorated since the start of the FARC talks three years ago.]

Tuesday’s meeting lasted five hours.

Now-senator Uribe has consistently insisted that the FARC completely disarm and its leaders must serve time in prison, and is firmly opposed to a government proposal for a special legislative commission that would allow for FARC member participation in Congress. The government, on the other hand, wants to expedite approval of this proposal.

Tweeting yesterday, Uribe stated:
“The reform the Government announces is a coup against the people, against democracy, all in favor of the FARC.”

Today:
“Conversation with the Government: The only option we’re allowed is for us to declare support to their accords with FARC”

Uribe had sought support from U.S. congress members for his opposition stance last February.

In other Colombia news, Santos, who had tip-toed on the border dispute with Venezuela for fear that Venezuela may undermine his pet project of peace with the FARC, is now declaring that ‘the Bolivarian revolution has failed.’

[Post edited to add tweet]

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