Varela Confirms Existence Of FARC Memo Asking For

alt(Panama-Guide) The Panamanian Foreign Minister Juan Carlos Varela, denied that the government will negotiate with Colombian irregular groups who might be acting in Panama. "We will not talk to rebel groups involved in drug trafficking and less with groups who are trying to recruit young people from the Embera, the humble young Panamanians in that area (the Darien, which borders Colombia) to try to join their ranks to undertake illegal acts," said Varela to reporters. The foreign minister spoke after he made public the existence of an alleged note from the Colombian FARC guerrillas, in which they ask for a "dialog" with the Panamanian police in exchange for not taking action against them in Panama. According to Varela, this is all part of a psychological war of the FARC to "send a message to our police that they live with them in the area, and to establish a dialog." "Here the only message is that they should withdraw from Panamanian territory. We will defend the Panamanian territory to the last square meter, and they should just leave and take their conflict with them," said Varela. Last week, the State Border Service discovered and destroyed a camp in the jungles of the Darien where the "Evert Ortega" company of the 57th FARC Front of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) operated.

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Original Source: Panama-Guide

Date Retrieved: January 18, 2011.