[Cincinatus' Wife]

Latest News From Latin America - Brazil's Lula Cooperates With Venezuela's Chavez***Guerrillas Desert in Colombia, Go for Rehab April 7: For the first time in Colombia, a guerrilla group of eight, including the head of the troop, handed itself in to military authorities. The National Liberation Army (ELN) rebels, who had fought with the Guevarist and second-largest guerrilla organization of Colombia, brought their arms with them. Deserting with arms warrants the highest punishment for the deserters by the guerrilla organization.

The escaped rebels said to be deceived and demoralized because of the way they were treated in the guerrilla movement.

The eight were added to the list of 270 rebels who deserted the guerrilla organizations in 2002. Since the beginning of the "demobilization" process that has been in place for already four years, 2,575 men and women have joined the benefits program offered by the government.

These people will have a chance at reinserting themselves into society with the warranty of education financing, paid health programs and the option of a credit for a small business after two years. The costly program, however, is possibly underfunded and has prompted the government of Uribe to lobby for a tax that would be directly destined to pay for social rehabilitation efforts.

Ex-guerrilla soldiers are also granted amnesty under the reinsertion program, except when accused of crimes to humanity, which are dealt with at the International Criminal Tribunal according to the Rome Treaty, signed by 63 nations during former President Pastrana's government. The inclusion of a clause in the Rome Treaty that prevents guerrilla soldiers from being sued for war crimes within the context of civil war in Colombia for seven years since the signing of the treaty signals certain openness of the Colombian government to dialogue amid a strong military campaign aimed at eradicating terrorism. ***

[Cincinatus' Wife]

FR LINK: FARC Executes Hostages - Emotional President Urges Colombia to Resist Terror *** MEDELLIN, Colombia - Colombia's president asked the nation to back him in fighting terrorism after a state governor, a former defense minister and eight others held hostage by leftist guerrillas were killed in a military rescue attempt. In an emotional televised address late Monday, President Alvaro Uribe said the hostages were executed by Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia rebels as troops approached the rebel camp. An alleged rebel communique blamed the government for the killings.

"In this moment of pain, Colombia cannot surrender," said Uribe, who was elected promising to crackdown on the guerrillas. "Now, we have to fortify our decision to defeat terrorism." The deaths of Antioquia state governor Guillermo Gaviria, former Defense Minister Gilberto Echeverri and eight security force members outraged Colombians and led to renewed calls for the government to negotiate with the rebels. Three other hostages escaped, though two of them were injured. ***