Colombia's government rejected the idea of carrying out a prisoner swap with the FARC, after the guerrilla group publicly called for a "civilized and political exit" from the conflict.
Marking the 47th year since the rebel group was founded, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia - FARC) released a statement saying, "We have never renounced the political solution to the social and armed conflict," reports EFE.
The FARC also stated that "the Colombian oligarchy deepens with each cycle of government,"
The guerrillas repeated their call for an exchange of prisoners. They offered to free 17 police and soldiers who are currently being held hostage, if Colombia would release some 50 FARC guerrillas currently jailed in Colombia and in the U.S.
The Colombian government reiterated their position that they would not consider a prisoner exchange, and said that there would be no peace talks until the FARC unilaterally released all prisoners.
As InSight has noted, the FARC's recent unilateral release of a number of their political hostages suggests that they are giving up on the idea of a prisoner exchange.
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