COMMUNIQUE FOUND ON RAUL REYES’ COMPUTER - LETTER ADDRESSING CRITICAL ISSUES WITH ECUADOR TO ALL MEMBERS OF THE FARC’S SECRETARIAT

Here's the translation of the second letter found on Raul Reyes' personal computer and published in Spanish by El Tiempo

COMMUNIQUE FOUND ON RAUL REYES’ COMPUTER - LETTER ADDRESSING CRITICAL ISSUES WITH ECUADOR TO ALL MEMBERS OF THE FARC’S SECRETARIAT
Secre13
February 28th, 2008
Secretariat Comrades, Greetings,
1- I successfully conclude the phase of unilateral hostages’ release. We removed several loads of our back and nailed our policy towards President Chavez. The black spot is the increased pressure for Ingrid, due to statements by Luis Heladio Perez, where he talks about her extremely serious condition and the discriminatory treatment against her. As far as I know, this lady has a volcanic temperament; she is rude and provocative with the guerrillas responsible for taking care of her. Also, she knows about images and semiology, which she used to create a negative impact against the FARC. Anticipating the demands of the French emissary, I’m thinking of informing him about this situation.
2- I summarize my recent conversation with President Correa’s emissary:
a) He requests to talk personally with the Secretariat in Quito. He provides guarantees and transportation from the border to the meeting place.
b) He’s waiting for a soon answer, setting a date.
c) He wonders if we want to do it based on the military or his State Minister Security.
d) He wants to speak with the FARC regarding the humanitarian agreement, border politics, the political solution, Ingrid and Chavez’s role. He wants to coordinate with us about the bi-national border.
e) He wants to explain the purpose of Plan Ecuador, which aims to counteract the damaging effects of Plan Colombia and which would be applied on the border.
f) For Plan Ecuador they are asking us for mass organization courses for the border natives. Those whom later will be commissioned by the government to coordinate the border work with the FARC. With the advantage that some of this people, are part of the Clandestine or participate in the Bi-National Committee guided by the state.
g) Insists on his interest in contributing to the prisoners’ exchange, which calls for the release of Moncayo’s son or another prisoner.
3- Regarding the intervention, we thank them and explained that these are the Secretariat’s decisions and it requires some time be defined. We made clear our interest in contributing to the work of making a stronger brotherhood on the border, in line with our policy which is explained in the Bolivarian platform, the manifest and other documents of the Secretariat
4- According to our conversation with the emissary, Chavez-Correa relations are not at their best, besides this Uribe frequently calls Correa asking him to help narrowing the acrimony with Chavez. Besides the Colombian Ambassador, Uribe has located another official in Quito, whose mission is to lobby Correa and his government team, asking for help in the fight against the FARC and the relations improvement with Chavez.
5- I’m still worried about a possible move to meet the invitation due to the high concentration of intelligence agencies and corruption in that country, where the government is still quite weak.
6- The gringos asked for an appointment with the minister to ask him to tell us about their interest in talking about the topics. They say their new president will be Obama, and they are interested in his countrymen. Obama will not support Plan Colombia nor will sign the FTA. We responded that we are interested in having relations with all governments on equal conditions and in the case of the United States it will require a public statement expressing their interest in talking with the FARC because of their eternal war against us.
That’s it, Hugs, Raúl

Transcript letter Raul Reyes

This is the translation of one of the letters found on Raul Reyes' computer and published by the Colombian Newspaper EL TIEMPO.

Secre03

January 18th, 2008

Secretariat Comrades, Fraternal Greetings.

1-I think is time to launch the proposal by Comrade JE to request the government of Venezuela, to receive the prisoners held by both sides, until the final exchange between the continents is signed. This proposal will give Chavez a greater role and will drown the unworkable pressure to allow visits to the sick prisoners after the bell rang by the survival evidences.
Besides it will strengthen Chavez’s bold recognition of belligerency to FARC and the ELN that caused such phobia and confusion in Uribe, oligarchies and empires. We will stimulate Chavez himself, Ortega and other friendly Governments, which can be added later to the recognition

2- We attended a visit by the Minister of Security of Ecuador, Gustavo Larrea, who will be called Juan hereafter, who in the name of the president Correa brought greetings to Comrade Manuel and the Secretariat. He described as follows:
1- Interest of the president to formalize relations with the leadership of the FARC through Juan.
2- Disposition for coordinating social activities to help the inhabitants of the border strip. Information exchange of information and control of paramilitary crime in their territory.
3- They are willing to change their Armed Forces commanders who show hostile behavior towards the communities and civilians in the area, for which they request our contribution with information.
4- They confirm their political decision to refuse to participate in the internal conflict in Colombia with support to Uribe’s government. For them the FARC are the people’s insurgent organization with social and political proposals which they understand.
5- They ask if we are interested in the political recognition of belligerency. They share Chavez’ ideas on this issue.
6- They will sue the State and Government of Colombia before the International Court based on the harmful effects of the Plan Colombia cocaine spraying.
7- Next year they will cancel the American license on the Manta base.
8- They set the goal to increase their commercial and political relations with Asia: China, Vietnam and North Korea in particular.
9- Their government program is aimed for the building of socialists’ foundations which give special importance to the National Constitution Assembly.
10- They offer their help in FARC’s fight for the humanitarian exchange and a political solution. They have made clear that Uribe represents the interests of the White House, multinationals and oligarchies, they consider him dangerous for the region.
11- They ask our boss and secretary an input that surges his management for the exchange, which could be to deliver professor Moncayo’ son to president Correa or something that allows energize his political work.
12- They would give documentation and protection to one of our men, so he can work relationships on their country, which in his view should be discrete due to the risks of capture or assassination by Uribe’s agents.
13- We left established forms of communications and the possibility to meet again in one or two months to follow up on the themes and deeper about them.
This is about our conversation with Juan.
We explained our border policy, our interest in political relations with their government, the importance of belligerency recognition, our commitment to the exchange and political solution to the Colombian crisis.
We thank their offerings and support to the mission organized by Chavez. On his request, he was told that it corresponds to the Secretariat to respond later.

3. Finally, to illustrate the themes of war and terrorism among us, I’m including part of an article written by Associate Professor of Department of Political Science UNAL, Miguel Angel Barrera Zgaib…
(…)

Hugs, Raul