After almost three years of negotiations between the government of Juan Manuel Santos and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia - People’s Army (FARC-EP) in Havana, the two parties have taken another historic step in the process toward ending the political, social and military conflict which has been afflicting the country for over half a century.
Granma offers a chronology of the most important events of this peace process, which has seen the most progress since the agreements made under President Belisario Bentancur in the 1980s.
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2012
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September 4.- Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia - People’s Army (FARC-EP) announce the signing of a General Agreement for the Termination of the Conflict and the Construction of a Stable and Lasting Peace, in Havana. The text establishes six points of discussion in order to achieve peace after more than half a century of conflict: a comprehensive agricultural development policy, political participation, an end to the conflict, ending the illegal drugs trade, victims’ rights, and the implementation, verification and ratification of the agreements. Cuba and Norway take on the role of guarantor nations to the peace process. Venezuela and Chile are named as accompanying nations.
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September 4.- Statement from the Ministry of Foreign Relations of Cuba outlines that the Revolution has a historic commitment to the peace process in Colombia and to the efforts underway to end the political, social and military conflict in this sister nation.
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October 17.- Peace process beings in Oslo, Norway. First plenipotentiary negotiators announced.
Government of Colombia: Former Vice President, Humberto de la Calle; High Commissioner for Peace, Sergio Jaramillo; President of the National Business Association (ANDI), Luis Carlos Villegas; and retired Generals Jorge Enrique Mora Rángel (Armed Forces) and Óscar Naranjo (Police).
FARC-EP: Comandante Iván Márquez, Ricardo Téllez, Andrés París and Marco León Calarcá. The organization requests that Simón Trinidad, imprisoned in the United States, be included in the negotiating team.
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November 6.- Technical meeting in Havana to define details in order to begin the process of peace talks.
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November 13.- The second largest guerrilla organization in Colombia, the National Liberation Army (ELN), announces its willingness to initiate “exploratory peace talks” three days after the talks between the FARC and the Colombian government begin in Havana.
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November 19.- Peace talks between government of Juan Manuel Santos and FACR-EP officially inaugurated in Havana’s Convention Center. Iván Márquez, member of the FARC-EP secretariat announces a unilateral cease fire from November 20 through January 20, by the rebels.
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2013
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April 10.- Almost one million Colombians take to the streets in support of the peace process. Juan Manuel Santos, former rebel soldiers and leftist groups also participated in the march.
May 26.- The Colombian government and FARC reach an agreement on the first agenda item regarding land and rural development.
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August 22: Santos announces that the government will present a bill to Congress proposing that any peace agreement reached be submitted to a referendum.
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November 6.- Both parties announce a second agreement on the five point negotiation agenda, regarding political participation.
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December 15.- FARC declare a 30 day Christmas ceasefire.
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2014
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May 16.- The Colombian government and FARC-EP reach an agreement on the illegal drugs trade, the third item on the peace agenda.
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May 20.- For the first time in history the FARC-EP and ELN begin a week long unilateral ceasefire during the first round of Presidential Elections scheduled for May 25.
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June 7.- The Colombian government and FARC-EP announce that five delegations representing victims of the conflict will meet with peace negotiators in Cuba.
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June 9.- FARC begins another ceasefire through June 30, in the context of the second round of Presidential Elections.
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June 22.- President Santos is re-elected for a second term to begin August 7. Peace negotiations feature as a priority on his agenda.
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August 16: The first group of 12 victims of the armed conflict meets with peace negotiators.
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August 21.- Historical Commissionon theConflictandIts Victimsinstalled.
November 30.- General of the Colombian Army Rubén Darío Alzate and his companions captured by rebels in the conflict zone are handed over to a humanitarian commission by the guerrillas.
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December 17.- FARC-EP announce an indefinite unilateral ceasefire, scheduled to commence, December 20.
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2015
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March 7.- The Colombian government and FARC announce a joint humanitarian de-mining agreement. Both parties agreed to clear anti-personnel mines from areas which directly affect the population, beginning with the departments of Antioquia (northwest) and Meta (centre).
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March 10.- Santos suspends bombing of FARC-EP camps.
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April 15.- 11 soldiers die in an attack by the FARC-EP in the department of Cauca (southwest), Buenos Aires. Santos orders bombings to resume.
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May 21.- 27 FARC rebels die in an aerial strike in Guapi (Cauca).
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May 21: President Juan Manuel Santos elects Foreign Minister María Ángela Holguín and businessman Gonzalo Restrepo to the peace talks with the FARC-EP.
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May 22.- FARC-EP ends unilateral ceasefire given attacks on their camps by the Colombian government.
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June 4.- Both parties agree to the creation of a Truth Commission to come in to effect once a peace agreement is signed.
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July 7.- Guarantor nations call on both parties to reduce tensions and aggressions, requesting that “trust building” measures be undertaken.
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July 8.- FARC announces a one month unilateral ceasefire beginning July 20.
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July 10: Negotiators announce a plan to reduce the intensity of the conflict and accelerate the process toward reaching a peace agreement and a definitive and bilateral ceasefire.
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July 25.- Santos orders bombing of FARC rebels to cease.
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August 20.- FARC-EP negotiators announce the extension of the unilateral ceasefire.
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September 23.-Santos announces that he will make a trip to Havana to meet with peace negotiators, after the FARC confirm the presence of rebel leader Timoleon "Timochenko" Jiménez. Cuban President Raúl Castro is also scheduled to participate.
