The Colombian Catholic Church has confirmed today that it has maintained contact by telephone with the chief leader of the FARC (the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, a terrorist Communist organization), "Alfonso Cano", and another guerrilla leader, who are interested in presenting a peace proposal to the government.
Cardinal Darío Castrillón Hoyos indicated that he has spoken with the rebels in virtue of the authorization, given by the Colombian President Álvaro Uribe to the Bishops, to mediate contacts between the Government and the FARC: "Yes, I have held telephone conversations with 'Alfonso Cano' [pseudonym for Guillermo León Sáenz] and with another whose name I do not recall at this moment," the Cardinal said briefly.
The prelate made the announcement after a meeting with President Uribe this Wednesday. Uribe indicated last April that the only groups which were authorized to maintain contacts with the FARC were the Catholic Church and the International Red Cross.
Note: May God, through the intercession of Our Lady of Chiquinquirá, bless the efforts of this great Cardinal, who struggled so much for peace within the Catholic Church, to reach a peaceful end to the 45-year conflict which has led to so much bloodshed in that Catholic nation.
