Colombian president ?lvaro Uribe has announced plans to release imprisoned guerrillas of the Revolutionary Armed
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Citing enigmatic “state reasons,” Uribe asserted the prisoners will be freed by June 7—the same day he is expected to lobby for a free trade agreement in Washington. The trade deal is threatened by yet more evidence linking top Colombian officials to right-wing paramilitaries—links which present a political liability for Washington despite its practical support.
The announcement follows a May 12 decision to pursue a prisoner swap rather than military attacks to free 57 prisoners held by the FARC. The FARC—a Marxist organization waging a decades-old struggle against the repressive Colombian government—demand the release of 500 of its members held by the state. Uribe has not yet mentioned how many FARC members will be released or dropped his demand that the FARC demobilize.
