Interview of Commandante Raul Reyes

KAOS IN INTERVIEWS OF THE RED AND THE BOLIVARIAN PRESS AGENCY TO COMMANDER OF THE FARC-EP, RAUL REYES

Faced with the death of Raul Reyes, Luis Devia Édgar, made public yesterday by the Colombian authorities, which we publish possibly be the last two interviews the leader of the FARC-EP.
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KAOSENLARED INTERVIEW TO COMMANDER OF THE FARC-EP RAUL REYES

For Anibal Garzon & Ingrid Storgen (For Kaos on the Net)

Raul Reyes, commander and member of the secretariat of the FARC-EP responded to several questions for Kaos on the Web on various matters; exchange, negotiation and now in Colombia, history, conflict with the ELN, regionalism Latin American revolutionary, method-fighting tactics , etc. ...

Negotiation and now

Hannibal Garzon and Ingrid Storgen: When it launched the famous "Operation Emmanuel" finally had to be delayed because of military operations conducted near where state were to make releases. What purpose believe that the FARC could exist behind the militaristic tactics Uribe to conduct such activities in full instead of Operation (department of Meta) endangering the lives of the hostages?

Raul Reyes: Behind Uribe militaristic tactics to prevent the release unharmed of prisoners, is the absolute rejection of this government to swap and concerted outings. In cares nothing seriously jeopardise the lives of the prisoners. Finally are more than five years without this government was interested in facilitating the release of these people proceeds from the signing of the humanitarian agreement, which requires the clearing of the municipalities of Meadow and Florida guarantee denied by President Uribe and without that the FARC will not accept interviews with government officials present anywhere.

AG and IS: What changes will occur to the FARC and the Colombian context generally be met if the proposal Chavez to grant the status of belligerent actor in an armed conflict national and international repercussions?

RR: Recognition of Beligerancia proposed by President Hugo Chavez, expressed full understanding of the internal conflict colombiano.Cuya defining solution requires a political solution and to recognize the existence of two armies faced by political, social and economic quite different. The army officer supported by the paramilitaries of State and the other side the army formed by the revolutionary guerrillas of the FARC and ELN. The redemption or exchange of prisoners will equally between government and the FARC. One of the obstacles made by the Colombian government to sign agreements with the revolutionary insurgency is to deny its existence landmark in the political life of Colombia. It persists in close our eyes to a reality that it was President Chavez and his Bolivarian approach empeñogeneroso to bring peace to the Colombian people. Nowhere in the world is it possible to achieve reconciliation and peace among the contenders without acknowledging the existence of a political adversary.

AG and IS: What are opinion regarding the movement that had, at the national and international actions, on February 4 in opposition to the FARC? What comparison can be done with the response to this movement announced for March 6 (Movement of Victims of State Crimes)?

The march past February 4 was organized, promoted and financed by the government of Alvaro Uribe. The which had input from the media, the paramilitaries called to participate in it. The official state officials and employees were forced to be linked to it. Embassies and consulates were instructed by the chancery to leave the march and solicit the support of their friends in each country. It is the way for the government-policy against redemption or exchange of prisoners and the pursuit of peace. In order to generate national and international environment to promote the second re-election of Alvaro Uribe.

AG and IS: It has spread that the FARC will develop a new release of political prisoners 3 or 4 [1]. What it seeks to target both nationally and internationally, how are believed to exist any response Uribe?

The release of former Congressmen Luis Eladio Perez, Gloria Polanco, Orlando Beltran and Jorge Eduardo Gechen Turbay and before Consuelo Gonzalez and Clara Rojas is the achievement of the continuing humanitarian and sincere concern for peace in Colombia's President Hugo Chavez and Senator Piedad Cordoba. It is the strongest manifestation of the will swap FARC, which requires clearance military Meadow and Florida for 45 days, with guerrilla presence and international community as guarantor, to negotiate with the government in this area, the release of guerrillas and prisoners of war held by the FARC.

Internationalism

AG and IS: Referring to a more internationalist, the collapse of the USSR negatively affected the international communism. Do you believe the FARC that the withdrawal of Fidel as president of the Cuban government affect the Cuban socialism and hence the rise of social movements in Latin American leftist governments?

The unexpected collapse of the USSR, it adversely affects a large number of Communist Party and especially the socialist construction in the countries of Europe, had a long and serious setback. The collapse of socialism Russian showed no room for equivocation major flaws ideological, political and structural changes in that model. While weakened parties, also led to its internal cleansing of the elements fakers and traitors who returned to the capitalist system without any shame. The parties and their militants strong convictions, remain faithful to the body of the classics of Marxism Leninism. Without left confused by the storm of capitalism proclaiming the end of socialism remained Cuba, led by his party and the Commander-in-chief of that triumphant revolution. The FARC, represented by the commander Jacobo Arenas (who died on 10 of 90) expressed robustly treason cooked in Russia by Gorvachov after entelequia of perestroika and Glasnot. We said at that time, with the fall of the Berlin Wall and Socialism, hunger or poverty, nor miseriadesaparecieron of the poor, why the fight for the liberation of peoples and the socialist construction retains full force .. .

Today, as in those times we affirm once again that the option of humanity is socialism.

The Commander Fidel Castro remains very light with lighting and experienced the building of socialism. The party, its people and the new head of State and Government of Cuba without moving pausapor the footsteps of Fidel and his comrades of heroic struggle.

History and conflict with the ELN

AG and IS: Several years ago began several clashes between the ELN and the FARC, in departments such as Arauca, Narino, Valle del Cauca and Cauca. How it happened? What impact has been on the conflict against the State Uribe camp? And what solution is the FARC on this?

Actually nothing justifies armed clashes between the ELN and the FARC, being two revolutionary organizations committed to lacreación of the premises of the struggle for the conquest of political power to initiate the construction of a free society without exploiters and exploited . Explain the historical factors of confrontation between the two forces is extremely complicated in this area and in no way consider prudent bear full responsibility of the parties. In my opinion there is a party and any part of the blame. Unlike that in the search for solutions is greater or lesser responsibility in the ELN or FARC. The most important thing for now is to stop the confrontation between revolutionaries, taking on both sides, a commitment to the location of enemy infiltrators fuelling the conseja, disqualification, the disregard for fighters and masses, in addition to spreading rumors to increase hostilities or create them where they do not exist. We are in arrears to conduct an interview of the two headquarters, which put an end to this situation yse strengthen the unity of action with a view to consolidating the struggle against imperialism and the oligarchy, by the new Colombia, the Patria Grande and Socialism.

AG and IS: In September 1987 created the Guerilla Simon Bolivar Coordinator, a coalition between different insurgent groups (ELN, FARC, F-19, EPL, Front Quintin Lame, MIR, PRT). At present, does the FARC think that would be good, and if possible, make the recreation of the Coordinator for the revolutionary project to unite against Uribe government?

The unity of the revolutionary left where guerrillas of the PLA, ELN and the FARC, is a necessity for strategic. The name of Simon Bolivar Coordinator Guerilla fits precisely within our conviction Bolivarian But the most important thing is to overcome the deadly form of settling differences.

AG and IS: The FARC, founded as a whole and peasant self-defense groups later, his objective was the conquest of state power to the socialist revolution. Currently, the parliamentary tactic-strategy has been used mostly in the Latin American left since the victory of Hugo Chavez in 1999. To this, Ali FARC still defending the possibility of coming to power through armed struggle-attack or just use this as a defence tactic of repression with the potential for future reforms leftist with a more social democratic government?

The FARC is a political organization military applies the combination of all forms of revolutionary struggle for the conquest of power. Consistent with this definition of principle does not underestimate the electoral process through a large coalition of anti-imperialist forces, Boliviarian, progressive, revolutionary through a government program guarantees overcoming the crisis, has committed to the exchange of prisoners and political solution to the conflict internal Colombians. This idea is explicit in our Bolivarian Platform and the manifesto signed by our Secretariat for a new government guarantor of peace with democracy and social justice.

AG and IS: In the 80 years after peace negotiations with Belisario Betancourt founded the Patriotic Union as a political entity on the left and the possibility of future peace negotiations. With the high repression, and the thousands of murders that were incurred in the ranks of the UP, makes FARC repensarse the possibility of returning to do the same strategy as a peace process?

The genocide in charge of state terrorism against the Patriot Union and significant portion of the Colombian Communist Party, showed to the world intolerance and criminality of the ruling class of my country, it also puts pressure on the ranks revolutionary guerrilla to save their lives and maintain the political fight with weapons in their hands. The UP was liquidated by the enemies of a political solution shooting. Done forcing privilege moonlighting, as the Communist Party and the Clandestine Bolivarian Movement for the New Colombia whose militancy to survive and grow remains in hiding.

Regionalism Latin American revolutionary

AG and IS: How come the situation of Latin America after the wave of progressive governments in the regiónjunto directly to other revolutionaries?

It is observed in Latin America a positive shift to the left under the leadership of revolutionary anti-imperialist governments, progressive, independent, Bolivarians, road to socialism, with a commitment to carry out the mandate of the Liberator provide the greatest amount of happiness possible to their villages. Colombia will be no exception, as Bolivarians amid confrontation with the government of the extreme right and fascist paramilitary, we are on the same path without anyone or anything to prevent.

AG and IS: What is the role to be fulfilled as internationalist solidarity embankment in front of the terrible problems that the people living in Latin America, financial collapses and the wars in different times that the rule arrecia plans destabilization and the well-known strategy of the CIA and the State of Israel as factors of extreme danger?

The path lies in strengthening the anti-imperialist unity, progressive and revolutionary left in the purpose of uniting efforts, learn from the experiences of each location, to close ranks against the sinister designs of empires and oligarchies in Creole bent on perpetuating power at the expense of the destruction of political organizations and projects contrary to its policies of exploitation, looting, illicit enrichment, drug trafficking, corruption, oppression, poverty and misery, discharged on the peoples of the continent. It imposes increasing internationalism, as an expression of solidarity of class.

Thank you,

Raul Reyes

Mountains of Colombia, February 28 2008