The vast majority of MEPs stressed the importance for the European Union of supporting the implementation of the peace process in Colombia on Tuesday 17 September during a plenary debate, while several former FARC guerrilla leaders announced that they would resume their armed struggle.
Javi López Fernández (S&D, Spain) gave his “absolute support” to the peace process to counter the backtracking advocated by some Colombian political forces.
Several MEPs, including Spain's Pilar del Castillo Vera (EPP) and Diana Riba i Giner (Greens/EFA), deplored the political killings during the campaign for the October regional elections. In 2018, “155 murders” of political leaders and trade unionists were carried out, and “25” more occurred in the first quarter of 2019, Riba i Giner also noted.
Hermann Tertsch (ECR, Spain) denounced the responsibility of Venezuela, where former FARC leaders who have taken up arms again, as well as the still active ELN guerrillas, have taken refuge.
Only Manu Pineda (GUE/NGL, Spain) criticised President Iván Duque for his failure to comply with the peace agreement. “There has been no return of land to farmers”, he said.
“We want to help Colombia achieve peace”, said Finnish Minister for European Affairs Tytti Tuppurainen, speaking on behalf of the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs, Federica Mogherini, recently on mission in Colombia.
In Bogota last week, Ms Mogherini reiterated the EU's unwavering support for the transitional justice process through the provision of €4.5 million in support to the Truth Commission, in addition to the €3.2 million already allocated to the Missing Persons Search Unit. (Original version in French by Mathieu Bion)