The situation in Colombia has intensified over the last few days since the end of the peace talks last Thursday, February 21, 2002. The most recent dramatic event in the conflict was the high-profile kidnapping over the weekend of presidential candidate, Ingrid Bentancourt by FARC rebels. This combined with the kidnapping last week of a Colombian senator taken from a hijacked domestic airliner, destroyed the Colombian government’s and much of the population’s faith in the guerrillas’ participation in any peaceful outcome to the 38-year conflict. President Andrés Pastrana ended all government peace negotiations and ordered the military to begin attacks on the rebel safe zone south of Bogotá. Pastrana, angry over the hijacking, declared that the faith of the peace talks had been abused and that the despaje zone granted to FARC in 1998 had only been used for hiding kidnap victims, conducting drug trafficking operations and strengthening guerrilla forces. "Today the glass of indignation spilled over," said Pastrana on national television when he announced the end of the peace talks, branding the hijacking "an international offense classified as terrorism."

The Colombian military flew hundreds of bombing sorties over the zone then sent over 10,000 troops to retake the zone, led by a resolved military leadership and enthusiastic ranks who have been increasingly willing and prepared for the greenlight to conduct a major offensive against the guerrillas. Most of the presidential candidates running for the May elections support the recent action along with much of the Colombian people, though many - like the families of the over 800 kidnap victims held by guerrillas -- also view it with trepidation, fearing the consequences of an intensified conflict. In Washington, there has been a move to share more intelligence as well as ship spare military parts to the Colombian government to help them fight the guerrilla groups.

News Stories:

"Colombian Rebels Sabotage Peace Hopes,"
The New York Times, February 25, 2002

"Colombian leader sees rebel-free zone,"
BBC News, February 23, 2002

"DJ Pres. Colombia Recibe Respaldo Por Fin De Negociaciones,"
Associated Press, February, 21, 2002

"Colombia bombs rebel enclave,"
BBC News, February, 21, 2002

"Colombian Rebels Hijack a Plane and Kidnap a Senator,"
The New York Times, February, 21, 2002