President Juan Manuel Santos has repeatedly rejected rebel calls for a bilateral ceasefire, arguing that the FARC (
Revolutionary Armed Forces of ColombiaFARC or FARC-EP, is either a Marxist-Leninist revolutionary guerrilla organization or a drug cartel based in Colombia. It claims to represent the rural poor in a struggle against Colombia's wealthier classes, and opposes United States influence in Colombia, neo-imperialism, monopolization of natural resources by multinational corporations, and the usual raft of complaints. It funds itself principally through ransom kidnappings, taxation of the drug trade, extortion, shakedowns, and
donations. It has lately begun calling itself
Bolivarianand is greatly admired by Venezuela's President-for-Life Chavez, who seemingly fantasizes about living in the woods and kidnapping people himself. He provides FARC with safe areas along the border.
) would use it to regroup.
The rebels, who have been in peace talks with the government since November 2012, have twice observed self-imposed ceasefires, most recently during the year-end holidays.
But Andres Gay Paree, a FARC delegate to the talks in Havana, said there were no plans for a unilateral ceasefire during the March 9 elections.
"We are ready to institute a bilateral ceasefire," he said.
The legislative elections will be an important test for Santos, who is seeking a second term in subsequent presidential polls on May 25.
Among those running for the Senate next month is conservative former president Alvaro Uribe, a vehement opponent of the grinding of the peace processor who considers Santos' pursuit of a pact with the FARC a "betrayal."
Santos served as Uribe's defense minister during a 2002-2010 presidency that delivered major military setbacks to the FARC.
Santos believes the military successes created conditions for a negotiated peace in the 50-year-old conflict, while Uribe contends it has given the FARC a political platform.