What do FARC want, in exchange for freeing Ingrid Betancourt and other hostages? Why according to FARC are talks not going ahead? What role is there for Chevez, in the opinion of FARC?

The Argentinean magazine ‘Perfil’ published an exclusive interview with FARC no 2, Ivan Marquez, last week.

Ivan Marquez stated the death of Raul Reyes destroyed the basis for talks which had been prepared by President Chavez of Venezuela and the Colombian Senator Piedad Cordoba. Their work led to the freeing of five political hostages. Raul Reyes’ death has closed the possibility of freeing any more hostages for the moment.

Q. What political, military or diplomatic moves could re-open the path to talks?

Ivan Marquez; the only way is the creation of a demilitarised zone in the Pradera and Florida regions for 45 days. Once the Colombian government has decreed this, we will check this out and if it is set up, our spokesman will wait to meet the freed FARC prisoners on Colombian territory. When this is done, we will hand over our hostages to the government.

Q. How many members of FARC are in prison?

Ivan Marquez: We want to have about 500 imprisoned rebels released but Uribe is imposing conditions that are too strict. He refuses the demilitarisation of the zone. He does not want those rebels who may be freed through an eventual agreement to return to the mountains. He wants them to be sent to overseas territories which is unacceptable to a revolutionary.

Q. Ingrid Betancourt’s mother accused the Colombian government of leading operations that according to her, seriously jeopardises her daughter’s liberation. She has even said that the Colombian government is brutally repressing the civilian population. She also said publicly, in Caracas, that she does not feel safe in Colombia. She further stated that the media campaign about her daughter’s health (it would appear to be better than had been previously stated) could have been deliberately planned to justify actions which could have led to the death of her daughter. What is your opinion?

Ivan Marquez: Appeals on humanitarian grounds by relatives of those held prisoner mean little to Uribe… Everyday he orders his generals to try to free prisoners by military means. This is an irresponsible attitude…

Mme Yolanda Pulecio’s attitude has been very brave. She has confidence only in Hugo Chavez and she’s right because Chavez has made efforts that are not motivated by self-interest to achieve this prisoner exchange…

Q. Uribe accuses Chavez of financing you.

Ivan Marquez; He lies when he says we get guns and money from Venezuela. If that were true we would have overthrown his government a thousand times.

Q. What about the plane sent with medical help. Did the French government contact you?

Ivan Marquez; No, the contact was with Raul Reyes. In January, the Red Cross asked us to agree to a medical mission to come look after prisoners deep in the forest.

We explained why this was not possible due to military risks surrounding us, due to our location. It is in our interests to maintain the health of our prisoners of war. When FARC is recognised as a revolutionary force, conditions for such a mission will be possible.