Letter to the Editor of the New York Times

Photo: Stéphan Valentin

May 21, 2020



To the Editor:



With regards to your editorial “The Man Blocking Peace in Colombia”, it is clear that it was written in ignorance of the fact that Colombia is and has been the oldest and strongest democracy in Latin-America, and without careful inspection of the 297 page agreement between Santos and FARC, not considering all aspects of the negotiation and the agreement that are against the Colombia Constitution and the principles upon which all civilized nations have signed the Geneva Convention and the Rome Statute.

May I explain to the Editor that Colombia has suffered 52 years of terrorism and delinquency, and 30 years of narco-terrorism hidden under a communist mask. May I explain to the Editor that as Colombia is a constitutional republic devoted to liberty and democratic principles, there has not been an “Armed Conflict” nor a Civil War as President Obama, showing tremendous legal ignorance, has publically expressed several times. May I explain the Editor that the 297 pages agreement constructed in Cuba under the Castro’s influence, by Spanish communist lawyers and with the supervision of Venezuela and Norway, is comprised mostly of FARC demands to the Santos government. May I explain to the Editor that the entire agreement was intended to be part of a new Colombian Constitution, to be sanctioned by President Santos without fulfilling the proper constitutional reform process. May I explain to the Editor that the agreement was made under the assumption that FARC had “State Status” and that its active terrorists forces had an equivalent status to the Colombian Constitutional Armed Forces.

May I explain to the Editor that what President Santos and most international and domestic media (influenced by an excessive expense in propaganda) called peace for Colombia, is, in fact, not real peace for Colombian citizens, but instead an incendiary to the current levels of insecurity, the lack of rule of law and the constant treat form FARC of changing liberties for Socialism. May I explain to the Editor that FARC is a movement that claims to represent Marxism-Leninism ideals, yet is financed by arms, terror, narcotics production and trafficking. May I explain to the Editor that after more than 200 years of Colombia’s constitutional principles, we are now faced with being placed under the submission to the texts agreed in Cuba. May I explain to the Editor that the agreement reached in Cuba was going to give pardon, amnesty, and direct political participation (without the consenting vote of the electorate), and total impunity to the head terrorists of FARC, who committed thousands of crimes against humanity. May I explain to the Editor that the special transitional justice system proposed by President Santos and the FARC is intended to become a tool of unfair political persecution at the hand of an inquisitor body that stands against civilians, armed forces members and victims that do not support the Cuban agreements.

May I suggest the Editor to read carefully the agreements between President Santos and FARC, as if they where the basis for an agreement between the President of the United Sates and the heads of ISIS.

Finally, I kindly ask the Editor to read the aforementioned documents before writing, insulting millions of democrats that defend liberty and democracy as well as the patriotic and brave work of our dear former President Doctor Álvaro Uribe Vélez.


Luis Guillermo Echeverri V

Proud Colombian Citizen; President of Asociación Primero Colombia; Attorney at Law; Agricultural Economist; Professional Horseman and Former Executive Director of the Inter-American Development Bank Group in WDC.