Rebel Safe Haven May Be Extended Again
President Andres Pastrana plans to extend a controversial rebel safe haven for at least six more months to pursue peace negotiations in the zone, Interior Minister Armando Estrada said.
“The alternative is all-out war,” he told Colombia’s Congress.
The safe haven, which has been extended several times since its creation in 1998 to jump-start peace talks, expires in October. An extension would put the next renewal decision at the height of next year’s presidential campaign.
Public sentiment has been turning against the sanctuary of the leftist Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, which has been accused of using the zone to stage military attacks and conduct drug operations.
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