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EL ESPECTADOR

Extra! Pope Brings Peace Message To Colombia

El Espectador, Sep. 6, 2017

Pope Francis begins a five-day visit Wednesday in Colombia, as the country looks to move beyond decades of armed conflict between leftist rebels and the government. The front page of the Bogotá daily El Espectador headlines: "The Pope arrives in a divided country."

Just over a year ago, the Colombian government and leftist Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) guerrillas reached a historic deal to end more than a half-century of civil war. Shortly afterwards, however, voters narrowly defeated a referendum meant to ratify to accord.

Determined to push forward with the peace process, President Juan Manuel Santos oversaw modifications to the deal that the country's Congress approved in December. Earlier this year, FARC fighters began a process of disarmament and in late June handed over the last of their weapons.

The former rebels are now in the process of reinventing themselves as a formal political party. Leaders unveiled the name of the new party late last week. Controversially, the Common Alternative Revolutionary Force (Fuerza Alternativa Revolucionaria del Común, in Spanish), as it's known, will retain the FARC acronym.

A powerful pro-war lobby led by former President Alvaro Uribe (2002-2010) continues to oppose the peace process, which for all its advances, is still fragile. The FARC's last attempt to enter formal politics — with the creation, in the mid 1980s, of the Patriotic Union (UP)— ended in bloodshed as many of the party's members and chosen representatives were killed off.

Aboard the Rome-Bogotá flight, Pope Francis described his visit to Colombia as "special" and said he wants to help the country "move forward."

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Geopolitics

D.C. Or Beijing? Two High-Stakes Trips — And Taiwan's Divided Future On The Line

Two presidents of Taiwan, the current serving president, Tsai Ing-wen, and her predecessor, Ma Ying-jeou from the opposition Kuomintang party, are traveling in opposite directions these days. Taiwan must choose whom to follow.

Photo of Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen

Tsai Ing-wen, the President of Taiwan

Pierre Haski

-Analysis-

PARIS — Tsai Ing-wen, the President of Taiwan, is traveling to the United States today. Not on an official trip because Taiwan is not a state recognized by Washington, but in transit, en route to Central America, a strategy that allows her to pass through New York and California.

Ma Ying-jeou, a former president of Taiwan, arrived yesterday in Shanghai: he is making a 12-day visit at the invitation of the Chinese authorities at a time of high tension between China and the United States, particularly over the fate of Taiwan.

It would be difficult to make these two trips more contrasting, as both have the merit of summarizing at a glance the decisive political battle that is coming. Presidential and legislative elections will be held in January 2024 in Taiwan, which could well determine Beijing's attitude towards the island that China claims by all means, including force.

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