In Colombia, Peace Talks and Rebel Political Participation

The Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, the guerrilla movement better known as the FARC, have entered a crucial phase of peace talks — the 10th round of which began June 11 in Havana. Negotiations between the two sides have been ongoing intermittently since October 2012, and an agreement over land reform reached in May has generated considerable momentum heading into the new round of negotiations, which are focusing on transforming the militant group into a political organization.

The question of political integration is central to the negotiations, since the FARC's decades-long militancy has involved leftist political aims. Unlike negotiating a ceasefire with an apolitical criminal organization, any legitimate effort to incorporate FARC militants and leaders into Colombian society will require a plan to involve some of the rebel leaders in the country's political system. However, some FARC elements may refuse to lay down their arms, even if a peace deal is reached. And the negotiations could be further undermined by Colombia's political tensions with Venezuela — a major partner in the Havana talks — as well as political complications related to Colombia's upcoming presidential election in 2014.