BOGOTA, Colombia (AP):
COLOMBIA'S MAIN rebel group said yesterday that it would not interfere in next year's presidential election, but urged voters to oust President Alvaro Uribe, who is seeking re-election.
Raul Reyes, a senior commander of the Revolu-tionary Armed Forces of Colombia, told Noticias 1 television that "Uribe's re-election depends on the Colombian people, who are suffering from his policies."
The comment from Reyes, whose 15,000-strong guerrilla outfit is known as the FARC, followed Uribe's announcement Sunday that he would run for a second term in the May 28 presidential vote. Uribe said he needed four more years to restore security and spur economic growth.
TOUGH POLICIES
He pledged to continue his tough policies against the rebels and drug traffickers, which have helped reduce crime and made him hugely popular among Colombians.
Reyes said the FARC - which refuses to enter peace talks with Uribe - was still willing to negotiate a swap of dozens of hostages for jailed rebels, but only if the government first grants the group a demilitarised zone in south-west Colombia - a move Uribe has ruled out.
"Unless that condition is met, there are no possibilities" for a deal, Reyes said. The FARC is holding dozens of hostages, including politicians, soldiers and three United States Department of Defence contractors, that it wants to ex-change for imprisoned leaders.
U.S.-BACKED OFFENSIVE
Reyes said that Uribe's recent decision to replace General Carlos Alberto Fracica, the commander of a massive U.S.-backed offensive against rebel strongholds in southern Colombia, showed the government's strategy for bringing the rebels to their knees was a failure.
"He (Fracica) was sent to lead the Plan Patriot offensive aimed at destroying the FARC and capturing or killing its leadership. He wasn't able to do that and Uribe punished him," Reyes said. Fracica was appointed as Colombia's mili-tary attaché in Chile earlier this month.
The FARC and a smaller rebel group have been battling for Marxist-style revolution in Colombia since the 1960s, but have been accused of numerous atrocities and drug trafficking. More than 3,000 people are killed every year in Colombia's conflict.
AP-NY-11-28-05 1206EST
