Critics of the Hugo Chávez-mediated effort to negotiate a hostage-for-prisoner exchange with the FARC got a big gift on Monday.
Some unfortunate photos from the talks were posted to the website of a group called the “Bolivarian Press Agency. They depict Piedad Córdoba, the Colombian opposition senator whom President Uribe had appointed as a mediator for the talks, posing the other day with top FARC leaders in Caracas.
Wearing the same beret as the FARC leaders, including secretariat member Iván Márquez and so-called “foreign minister” Rodrigo Granda, Córdoba holds a bouquet of flowers that the guerrillas had just presented her. All are standing in front of a large, colorful FARC banner.
The effect on Colombian public opinion will no doubt be devastating. The images give the impression of Senator Córdoba enjoying camaraderie with a group that runs drugs while killing and kidnapping thousands of people.
Córdoba says that the pictures are out of context, that they did not capture a typical moment at the Caracas meetings. She said that the presentation of the bouquet was highly unexpected, and that she had just jokingly taken the beret off of one of the guerrillas’ head and put it on, in an effort to “distensionar el ambiente” (to reduce tensions) after some “discusiones muy fuertes” (very strong words during the talks). She adds that she asked the guerrillas not to share the photos.
Though she is a politician from the left, Piedad Córdoba is not a FARC sympathizer. She has said that one of her biggest challenges since being named as a facilitator in August has been simply to win the guerrilla leaders’ trust. (Her meetings with FARC leaders in U.S. prisons have been, to some degree, a part of that effort.) A measure of trust and empathy, even on a superficial level, can make an interlocutor more flexible and conciliatory.
Creating an atmosphere of trust may mean an occasional moment of levity when the talks occur. But those moments should take place off camera. This is something that the FARC – in its rush to show the world that it is a legitimate political organization with friends in high places – ignored, with serious consequences for the nascent talks.
As these pictures are shown repeatedly in Colombia’s media, the damage to the process will be great. Though not fatal, they are a setback.
Our opinion is that Piedad Córdoba is not guilty of being a tool of the FARC. She did, however, commit two errors that a mediator must avoid: don’t be indiscreet, and don’t allow yourself to be used.
November 14th, 2007 at 9:18 am
My opinion is that she belives in the bolivarian proyect that is endorsed by Chavez in Venezuela and the FARC in Colombia.
November 14th, 2007 at 9:41 am
Why are these photos ‘unfortunate’? They simply show who she is and what she stands for. Have you read the profile of Piedad in Jet Set, a Colombian magazine? For some, FARC and its reign of terror is a good thing. That’s a fact. No need to hide it, just call it a difference of opinion. Let transparency ring out. What’s unfortunate about the truth?
November 14th, 2007 at 9:45 am
PS: Love the fact that they used the FARC pinup calendar chick as the backdrop for this group photo. That shows a significant interest in public relations from all sides in this photo. Isn’t FARC hip and groovy?
November 14th, 2007 at 10:13 am
They are unfortunate not because they show who she really is (whether or not she is a FARC sympathizer and to what degree if so is moot) but because it has set the process of the humanitarian exchange back. They hurt the credibility of the main interlocutor, thus damaging the whole process. It’s a step backwards towards the release of the hostages. That’s why they are unfortunate. I thought that was made clear throughout the whole piece…
Also, that is true Camilla. The FARC loves PR. And now that you mention it, drug-running, kidnapping and murder do seem a little groovy-ish maybe…
November 14th, 2007 at 10:45 am
The whole problem with this, assuming Piedad is not a FARC-symp, is that she lets herself be used. If that’s the case, how else does she let herself be used? How else is she a roundheels? How else does it affect her judgment?
Everyone in Bogota noticed her Chavista red attire on the front page of El Tiempo at the victory celebration of Moreno 10 days ago when all the other celebrants were wearing yellow. She has a penchant for telegraphing nonverbal messages about where she stands. So this beret-wearing incident wasn’t an isolated gaffe, it’s what she does. She only seems to be caught off guard when someone calls her on it. She only seems to be surprised to find that ‘the people’ she is so sure she is the embodiment of, don’t quite react to the wearing of a FARC beret, bouquet, and photoshoot under the FARC pinup girl backdrop as she does. To her, this is normal stuff, what you do when you whoop it up with the FARC and doesn’t everyone whoop it up with the FARC when they get a chance?
It just goes to show how out of touch with reality she is. Anyone who really hated what the FARC stood for and did would have a problem putting on the FARC beret and grinning with the stone-faced thugs who wear it for real. If you didn’t really hate them yet put on their beret, then it would be gesture politics, kind of like a politician kissing someone’s baby … at best. If you considered the FARC as a holocaust survivor considers Nazis, you just wouldn’t do it. Has she put on a Colombian army hat and taken a bouquet from them too? Nope. It just goes to show how one-sided her sympathies are.
Piedad is really going to need to atone for this if she wants to have any credibility at all. I think they should just scrap the project, the FARC is having way too much fun on the public relations front. What are they giving in return? The answer? Nothing.
November 14th, 2007 at 11:12 am
Piedad should have been a lot tougher – she should have brought her own cameraman and had a photo taken of the ‘tough’ talks. If she did, that would signal she knew how to use power. Instead, she let herself be rolled. How else is she letting herself be rolled by these soulless killers? Why didn’t this possibility worry her? Why did she think the FARC wouldn’t use the photos for propaganda purposes even as she asked that they wouldn’t? Did she really think it was social? I think she did because she posed and then asked them not to use it as if she had a guilty conscience. But why did she think the FARC was taking the picture at all? Did she really think it was to preserve the happy moment? Did she really think the FARC liked her enough to do so, more so than its own propaganda aims? God she was naive.
Who, by the way, is portrayed on Piedad’s tshirt?
Anyone notice the mirthlessless in the eyes of the FARC pinup babe? Notice the immobile corners of her eyes as she smiles.
November 14th, 2007 at 11:22 am
Putting on the Farc beret, posing in photos with the high commanders–sounds like another case of Colombian bravado and alegrÃa getting out of control.
When Chavez went to el Hato Grande with Uribe in Colombia there was a similar kind of ice-breaking banter, but Uribe and Chavez were tactful. Chavez asked Uribe for his epinadas recipe so that he could prepare them for Marulanda. “Pero con picante,” responded Uribe. etc. This sort of thing is definitely an art. Not easy.
November 14th, 2007 at 1:54 pm
Excepting for the poster at the background the photos do not look to me more or less “unfortunate” than the pictures of Pastrana hugging Marulanda somewhere in the jungle. As reiner cale says some ice breaking acts are required for this sort of meetings, and mediators have to be skillful in that art. It is difficult to draw lines of good and bad behavior for such poses.
Unfortunate may be the propaganda made by the ABP using these photos , particularly the title “Exclusive images of the Farc-ep delegation in Caracas” which is rather inappropriate.
Cordoba has publicly voiced her sympathy for Chavez and Bolivarian Venezuela as clearly as she has opposed Uribe. Where she stands regarding the Farc is not known, as of today she has not been actively campaigning for them. Her mission has enjoyed so far Uribe’s support which is what matters.
Camilla: The clothes’ color show little if nothing about what Cordoba stands for. She is clearly not wearing a guerrilla uniform and this is not about playing the hooligans game anyway. Talks and negotiations require mutual respect and willingness to listen. This is not a trial and even if it was it could not be a serious one with an attitude like yours.
El Tiempo has recently published photos of Cordoba smiling alongside US senators (does it mean she is pro-imperialist?), hugging and kissing with Uribe (is she a “furibista”?) and so on. The middle ages ended long ago, I hope you have noticed.
November 14th, 2007 at 3:56 pm
Finally someone said the truth she is a FARC sympathizer and whatsoever she loves’ Chavez and those guy’s never will release all the hostages.
November 14th, 2007 at 4:03 pm
Well…this is a reply to Camilla. Good, let Piedad Cordoba show herself as she is…if this is the truth, it’s the truth, but the problem is that SHE IS SUPPOSED TO BE A MEDIATOR, that means, she’s obviously not on President Uribe’s side, and supposedly not on the FARC’s side. She is there to free the people who are kidnapped, not strengthen ties with the FARC.
November 14th, 2007 at 4:13 pm
Piedad=chavez=farc=terror
November 14th, 2007 at 4:13 pm
It is not the first time Piedad Cordoba appears hugging these FARC terrorists. She went “to visit” the FARC member Simon Trinidad at his jail in United States. Trinidad was accused and jailed for kidnapping the three americans. Cordoba went there to hug him.and sympathize with him Coirdoba went as well to visit Sonia ,another FARC guerrilla member who is in jail for drug trafficking, Cordoba received the querrillera Sonia with a huge flowers’ heart. – For me, there is no doubt, Cordoba is one of those FARC killers.
November 14th, 2007 at 4:18 pm
The reality is that it is not a lie that revolutionaries like Mrs. Cordoba, who supports terrorists groups and keep alliances with a already dictator like Hugo Chavez, will try to hide some o her friendships to keep it in the low for the Colombian media. It is good that a loud mouth like this supporter of terror gets the privilege of making public her alliances, that otherwise would have probably kept concealed for political reasons. I remind this NGO that this lady is not an innocent woman but a supporter and sympathizer of terrorism, kidnappings, extortion and drug trafficking which is what FARC stands for.
November 14th, 2007 at 4:23 pm
Its just diplomacy…If changes are going to be made we must stop criticizing any effort made…
November 14th, 2007 at 4:37 pm
There is not a problem if Uribe avoid negatives comments respect of.
November 14th, 2007 at 4:41 pm
Hey Adam, get ready to thank El Tiempo again!
http://www.eltiempo.com/politica/2007-11-14/ARTICULO-WEB-NOTA_INTERIOR-3814675.html
November 14th, 2007 at 5:02 pm
LA SENADORA CORDOBA ELLA AUNQUE LO NIEGUE DE MAS GUERRILERA LO QUE PASA ES QUE ES UNA HIPOCRITA FRENTE AL PAIS EL QUE NO LA CONOZCA QUE LA COMPRE, COMO ES POSIBLE DE ABRAZOD CON ESTOS SINVERGUENZAS, YA SE PARECE AL EXPRESIDENTE PASTRANA QUE CASI VENDE AL PAIS, CON ABRAZOS CON TIROFIJO.
November 14th, 2007 at 5:16 pm
la senadora piedad cordoba es utilizada en la imagen de las farc. la posicion como negociadora es muy pobre y falta de conocimiento para una verdadera negociacion. ( farc: grupor narco terrorista colombiano)
November 14th, 2007 at 5:16 pm
Es el colmo, como es posible que esta señora senadora de la Republica, confunda una mediacion para liberar secuestrados en manos de criminales terroristas, con el hecho, de estar en una celebracion, como si alguien estuviera cumpliendo años.
Ya la señora se dejo al descubierto, de que es una de las representantes en el congreso de la Narco guerrilla de las Farcs. Ese acuerdo que tanta alharaca le estan dando, es solo publicidad y deseos de ser notables y ganar protagonismo a costillas de los pobres secuestrados injustamente por los terrorista infames de las Farcs.
November 14th, 2007 at 5:17 pm
Speak spanish…. que opinemos los COLOMBIANOS….los que vivimos acá… los que no huimos….los que damos la cara… desde afuera es muy fácil decir cosas
November 14th, 2007 at 5:35 pm
FARC is playing a horrible game… while they stand smiling to the media showing their supposed interest on peace they keep hundreds of Colombians kidnapped in the jungles. The saddest part of this story is the fact that FARC leaders can travel to Venezuela with no problem! They are drug dealers! They are murderers! And they clearly are not interested on peace but keeping their business running.
November 14th, 2007 at 5:36 pm
Piedad Córdoba is FARC!
November 14th, 2007 at 5:38 pm
Presidente Hugo Chávez and Piedad Córdoba are laughing at Uribe. Colombians understand whats really happening. Uribe III!
November 14th, 2007 at 5:42 pm
I agree this pictures could be unfortunate for her just because every one could notice she is a FARC sympathizer and the President’s Chavez project. All of them FARC, Chavez and Cordoba have been working on the big lie of this terrorist group, just because Colombia is one of the few countries which is not on the Bolivarian (FARC and Chavez) Project. The terrorist group has killed, kidnapped, and lied for 45 years in order to support this big killing company with beneficts for themselves only and this lie is part of pulling the leg to the world and all them who believe that ferry tail because they don’t know our reality in Colombia. Get out terrorism from Colombia, please Europe and America OPEN YOUR EYES be honest and help us.
November 14th, 2007 at 5:43 pm
Piedad Córdoba supports the Bolivarian movement of Venezuelan president Chavez. This is common knowledge in Colombia, as she’s been photographed and videotaped attending events, and giving speeches supporting the ideals of the bolivarian movement.
She always says she’s beng taken out of context… But her presence and demeanor tell the tale. She knows she can’t openly show her support of these movements, or her afinity with armed radical leftist movements such as FARC. So she tries to appear neutral, even pro-stablishment… but everybody knows its just a facade!
She’s seen as an ally by the FARC. Why do you think that is?
November 14th, 2007 at 6:21 pm
I feel sorry for those who think that FARC are some kind of heroes or something. They are only interested in the drug dealing and kidnapping. They are the worst murders, and I can say that because members of my family and some friends had been murdered by them just because they think the people deserve the right to work on the farms in traditional jobs and not as slaves of the NARCO-GUERRILLA.
They are like a Cancer, whenever they get to a region they destroy the social wealth and kill houndreds or of inocent people.
November 14th, 2007 at 6:30 pm
from colombia i think there not a political proyect in teh guerrilla armi, i live in colombia i have 39 year old and never see the FARC like a option, the are drug dealers and killer my country can be a great country, we are teh southameric singapur, we want this but pciture like show to the world a bizarre look to the contry i live and if lord wants die in peace, whit the vision in my eyes to the future i want to my son
November 14th, 2007 at 7:05 pm
Es notable que este es un foto montaje, y no creo que sea posible que personas tan responsables como los que publican esta pagina web, sean tan irresponsables de sabotear un proceso de liberación que es tan importante para todos los Colombianos. Por favor, no hagan esto con los procesos de Paz, armonicen y organizen el paÃs, no traten de crear discordia y sizaña en sitauciones tan importantes.
November 14th, 2007 at 7:11 pm
Cordoba is been in the political career since 1994-95. Since the beginning, she has take side with the parties that can help her interests. She had an assassination attempt (which I condemned) apparently perpetrated by a right wing group. She also had an investigation about fraudulent votes in her own state. She was also part of the initial hostage release negotiation with the FARC group. In the senate, she is well known as a person that opposes to all points of views just to create commotion in all topics. That is why she is well known (she is always looking to be on the covers of the newspapers and TV news) in all Colombia. She is member of the liberal party in Colombia, even though she says she is from the left side party.
Cordoba has been appointed with a difficult task, negotiating with an irregular military group. I do not think she was the right person to be in charge of this task. I considered that the FARC group had already two opportunities to finish the Colombian War and be part of a new change in Colombia (1991 Constitution reform and the peace negotiations of 1998 in the demilitarize zone). It is clear that this group is not looking for something new now. They just want to prolong the pain and suffer of the Colombian people.
November 14th, 2007 at 7:11 pm
It is sad to see as the terrorist lady Cordoba Mercy takes photos with the narcotics traffickers fof FARC, while these same ones assassinate and kidnap to Colombian civilians while they say to fight by the town. They are terrorist and now with the collaboration of the terrorist of Hugo Chaves they want to be the world like the salvation, which salvation the communist dictatorship just as in Cuba and to see as in Venezuela to buy hygienic paper and tollas for the women they became sumptuous merchandise… lives in Colombia so that they watch that is the true enemies of the democracy and the town = FARC+PIEDAD+CHAVES
November 14th, 2007 at 7:15 pm
One picture says more that a 10,000 words.
November 14th, 2007 at 7:15 pm
I don´t know what to think about this.
November 14th, 2007 at 7:27 pm
La señora Piedad es una conocida simpatizante del narcoterrorismo de las FARC-EP. Ella, junto con otro grupo de senadores, seguramente financiados por esta organización, dedican su vida púbica a hacer acuerdos para delinquir y a instar la “revolucion bolivariana”. Personalmente creo que Carlos Castaño debio haberla … vuelto una estadistica mas.
November 14th, 2007 at 7:39 pm
Hay esta la honorable senadora con sus grandes amigos. una imagen dice mas que mil palabras. estas fotos me alegran ya que podemos ver a la “honorable” frente a la verdad, cual verdad? que es una simpatizante de las FARC y podrÃa ser mucho mas
There is this one the honourable senator with her big friends. An image says mas that thousand words. Do these photos make me happy since we can see the “honourable one” opposite to the truth, which truth? That is a simpatizante of the FARC and he might be many more.
November 14th, 2007 at 7:50 pm
Debe ser procesada por concierto para dilinquir, complicidad y cohecho por terrorismo… aplicarle a la seudoguerrillera piedad cordoba la ley de justicia y paz…
November 14th, 2007 at 8:22 pm
Senator Cordoba has many explanation to do but since she is living and acting in Colombia she’ll never going to do that, because despite the democracy in which the Colombians live politicians there answer to nobody. I would like to know who finance Miss Cordoba’s campaign?
This picture the only come to confirm what many people has been suspecting a long time ago that she’s too close to this terrorist group.
Miss Cordoba can not claims that she was duped, she has been active in politic for so long that noboday is going to accept that.
November 14th, 2007 at 8:32 pm
Andres Pastrana cuando fue presidente de colombia tambien aparecio con Marulanda y no entiendo alli porque no generaron polemica.
November 14th, 2007 at 8:36 pm
POR FAVOR!!!!!, no estoy de acuerdo con Piedad Córdoba por lo que hizó, pero como COLOMBIANO le pido el favor a CIP, que sean más discretos con los comentarios, pues si es ella la que está mediando, NO SE PUEDE DESPRESTIGIAR, porque se le está dando ya un golpe de credibilidad a las conversaciones Y ESO NO SE PRETENDE. Que caiga por su propio peso por falta de resultados mas no por comentarios de pasillo hechos sin prudencia.
USTEDES SE LA PIDEN A LA SENADORA, pues con mayor razón sean prudentes, eso lo digo por lo que llegó a la prensa local…………
¨…Las imágenes dan la impresión de que Córdoba disfruta la camaraderÃa con un grupo que trafica con drogas mientras mata y secuestra a miles de personas”, dice la ONG…¨
November 14th, 2007 at 8:44 pm
Seems like a bunch of people from EL TIEMPO came through that link…unfortunately, most of them aren’t exactly giving fair assessments of the situation, but that’s to be expected (have a look at the forums there).
I’m not the biggest fan of Piedad Córdoba, but I do respect some of her work and, in this case, her role as a kind of mediator is welcome. Unfortunately, I do agree that she should have been more prudent and careful, especially where photos are involved.
She could have received the flowers and played around with the beret, if necessary, but doing all that *and* posing in front of that poster together with the guerrillas is definitely not a smart thing to do.
November 14th, 2007 at 8:47 pm
quizas mas lo primero q’ lo segundo
y tambien viceversa
benedetti
This is a great space to talk about the conflict in Colombia fortunately Colombia is not as special as some people believe; in Universal History army conflicts are very normal. Some of these conflicts end in Revolutions as the French Revolution and many other examples. In our modern times there are also many examples as the Irish conflict that end in a conflict resolution in where the people society in a huge and large process agree to move from the army conflict to the political conflict. So in this context the Colombia conflict with the particularities of its own issues has to agree to move from the use of the army force to a battleground of political ideas simple!
November 14th, 2007 at 9:55 pm
LAS FARC SON UN GRUPO TERRORISTA NO DE COLOMBIA DEL MUNDO…….
November 14th, 2007 at 10:17 pm
Este encuentro más bien parece un circo… repugnante ver a la Piedad Corodoba abrazada por criminales, asesinos, terroristas y traficantes de droga… que foto más repugnante para la sociedad colombiana y del mundo entero.
November 14th, 2007 at 10:37 pm
The FARC are a TERRORIST organization, murder, kidnap, extract and finish with COLOMBIA, there are ingenuous and very shameless those that support them by means of ONG’S since(as,like) do in the exterior, supporting that colombia is destroyed
November 14th, 2007 at 10:56 pm
I do think that Mrs. Cordoba is already making the campaign for the Chavez conqueror dreams, and in fact all of this secret meeting on the back of the democratic government o Colombia is just a blueprinting situation of what they are planning to do in the near future, I do not believe that the farc-ep are thinking of going to the political discussion, they just want to keep the Venezuelan border open to their drugs and weapons traffic, just this, and in Chavez they have a great ally, in the mean time, the US congress is giving Colombia a kick in the ass just for its own internal interest of power, more than to keep the best ally the US have in Latin America. this makes me sad, US congress mans please help us to maintain our democracy, we do NOT want to be the the next Cuba in LatAm, we do love our liberty, we can talk openly on any street to critic or to support our government and even the drug dealers and killers of the so called “ejercito del Puebo” (army of the people), not like in Cuba or Venezuela today.
November 15th, 2007 at 10:20 am
Jose Antonio: Don’t worry, there are plenty of us gringos working in the US for Colombia who feel as you do. We know very well what the FARC wants, stands for, and is willing to stoop to and we strive to warn those who would be either its willing or unwitting dupes as well as all those who go apoplectic over Colombian voters’ choice for president and want him toppled by any means necessary. If there is to be a democracy, then there need to be some acceptance from those who claim to be democrats that President Uribe is the choice of the vast majority of Colombian voters. The only people with the right to decide on Colombia’s leader are Colombians themselves. We also believe that the US needs to keep its promises on trade and not abandon its allies over US domestic political concerns. It’s immoral to allow Colombia to be caught in the crossfire of US partisan politics as is happening now and some of us want to stop it.
November 21st, 2007 at 12:00 am
Thanks again to CIP, part of the NGO mafia for successfully helping to spread damage. While you stupid jokers sit in your office and ponder Colombia, or travel in Bogota with an army of Secret Service personnel, you fail to understand what people really go through in the Colombian campo. You give space to pendejos who latch on to any sh*t they can grab (other than El Tiempo) to spruce up their racist, classist attitudes.
December 21st, 2007 at 3:52 am
these guerrillas and farc, eln are all a bunch of gun toting nuts who should have received a G.I. Joe doll for Christmas when they were kids and maybe Colombia wouldnt be so jacked up…What a waste of beautiful people, resources and a beautiful country gone to sh*t because of a handful of idiots……PEOPLE OF COLOMBIA, YOU NEED TO WAKE UP AND SMELL THE COFFEE
March 18th, 2008 at 9:58 am
Farc is not a terrorist group, but a people that fights for Freedom.
They fight against an oppressive system: the Colombian regime, that uses paramilitary forces to kidnap students, trade union leaders, and kill farmers who are afterwards showed as guerilla people dead in camp. The Colombian State, that uses its legal system to imprisoned trade union’s leaders, students, politicians and all people who criticises president Uribe, who is not willing to maintain an open dialogue with opposition, but wishes to spread his war to the rest of Latin America. As the last events in Ecuador showed.
Freedom fighters are not terrorist!
Freedom fighters can be killed, but the fight will not stop. Solidarity with Colombian people will not stop.
Por nuestros muertos, ni un minuto de silencio, toda una vida de lucha.
October 20th, 2009 at 3:17 pm
[...] as 2007 photos of herself wearing a black beret and posing with FARC negotiators were a setback for leftist [...]