Colombian peace talks could end decades of violence in the country

Peace talks between Colombia’s government and the country’s most powerful rebel group are scheduled to take place in October at a neutral site: Norway’s capital, Oslo.

The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, has been trying for nearly 50 years to overthrow the government. FARC says it’s fighting for  the rural poor -- in a struggle against Colombia’s rich and powerful. But the leftist guerrilla organization is financed primarily by kidnappings and drug trafficking. A decade ago, peace talks aimed at ending the long civil war ended in bitter failure. In the end, the initiative actually made the conflict even worse. But this time, perhaps, the conditions in Colombia may be primed for peace.

To get more insight into the planned peace talks, Global Journalist was joined by two experts on Colombian affairs. Patricia Lee is a lawyer and journalist that writes for El Pais and several other publications.  Gimena Sánchez-Garzoli  is a human rights advocate that works for the Washington Office on Latin America.  

Note: There is no video for episode of Global Journalist.