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WAR DECLARED
Colombia is at War with Itself
Marquetalia, Colombia - May 22, 1964
What is Colombia doing to combat the rebels? This is the question that Colombia’s people constantly keep asking themselves. The so called rebels that kill and injure the hardworking civilians in the cities, live on the mountain ridges 8,000 feet above sea level. And today Colombia has decided to dedicate 30 million dollars to fund a counter insurgency military and civic improvement program. The government is calling it “Operation Marquetalia.” Operation Marquetalia was created to show Colombia’s civilians that the government is on the side and protection of the non-militant population of 7,000 in exchange for their loyalty to the government of Colombia.
Rebels Causing Chaos Forces Intervention
Controlled by 20 year old Miguel Moreno and 21 year old Antonio Solis, the guerrilla leaders are known to be held responsible for the attempted murder of the President of Colombia and death of many of his aides in December 1963 and February of this year. Government sources say that the guerrilla leaders had received arms and training from Panama. The two prior actions having caused the Minister of Defense Soto to act. While the Rebels usually didn’t cause trouble in the cities due to the leftist support of many in Bogota, it seems that this fact is now defunct and all areas of Colombia are now at risk.
The government has recently come across anti-government propaganda that this group is handing out in support of its cause, picturing government troops as enemies of the state and accusing the troops of murder of 1000+ civilians. Overnight signs have been put up around the city stating “We will save the people of Marquetalia!” While the government has no information regarding war crimes made by troops in Marquetalia, the government advises that any illegal acts made by troops will be handled by a war tribunal.
Marquetalia is a small town of 1863 miles that had once housed criminals in 1915. The small town lays claims to unknown and unmarked trails that wind along the ragged cliffs of the Andean Mountain range no paved roads connect Marquetalia
to the rest of the country.
The economy of Marquetalia barely exists and scrapes by every year on the meager crops of coffee, sugar and bananas, which is one of the few crops that can exist in the rocky, arid soil.
The government states that low economic level, dire poverty and illiteracy are being used to take advantage of the people of Marquetalia and persuade them to wage a class war against the government and the rest of the country.
The guerrilla’s chaos, warfare and stronghold on the town of Marquetalia has grown so fast and so quickly that Marquetalia is now Colombia’s biggest public relations problem for the government and political officials.
The President is assuring the people of Colombia that Operation Marquetalia has been given top priority.
The government has declared martial law in Marqeutalia and 3000 troops are being assembled for occupation of the small town. While the government is unaware of the size and number of the rebel group it is estimated that they have 1000 guerrillas available for mobilization at any given time.
Although the government does not wish to further the bloodshed in Marquetalia or indoctrinate any political policies it is the governments responsibility to free the tyrannical hold the guerrillas have on this Colombian state.
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In Fort Worth, Texas Olivia Leija is 4 years old and loving life. The days are bright and filled with sunshine playing outside. The sixties are in full swing but the chain of events has already begun.
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NATIONWIDE MARTIAL LAW IMPOSED BY COLOMBIA
Bogota, Colombia - June 27, 1975
Nationwide martial law was imposed by Colombia’s government last night after skirmishes occurred throughout the nation between rebels and government troops. 20 people have died since last nights fighting and more reports are still coming in.
President Aaron Vazquez in an address to the nation on radio and television read a long list of actions or behaviors that could now, after martial law has been declared, be identified as expressions of opposition of the government. If found guilty the offender will be found guilty by summary court-martial (a quick trial by military personnel) and will result in mandatory imprisonment.
‘The government’s purpose is to protect the peaceful enjoyment of freedom for all Colombians,’ the President assured.
The President won by a landslide last April, however, his popularity has fallen by 30% since his election. Rising prices of food, gasoline shortages and lack of promised reform has caused intense discontent that has made it easier for the rebels to persuade non-militant civilians to their group.
Since January of this year martial law was declared in 3 states with the biggest populated cities to attempt to control the activity of the rebel group, however, obviously by the nationwide implementation of martial law the President and his cabinet have admitted defeat by the rebels.
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“Hey, turn it back!” Olivia yelled at Robert. Olivia was 15 now with an athletic build, and looked more woman than child. Her dark hair was full and lustrous, pulled up in an annoying pony tail. Robert, her brother’s friend was a newly minted soldier preparing to ship out and had the body of a soldier. His dark good looks and muscles were on display in his shirt with cut off sleeves and starched khaki dickies. Robert laughed and held his hands up in mock surrender as he changed the channels of the Leija’s Zenith Chromacolor television. “I was watching that!”
“Oh yea, you were watching Tom Brockaw?” Robert said, leaning over in front of the television and twisting the top knob.
“Yes!” Olivia said, throwing some popcorn out of her popcorn bowl at him.
“What do you care about what is happening in Colombia of all places.” Robert said laughing. “Yes!” He said, sitting in his chair. He turned feeling Olivia, staring at him. “It’s Kojak!”
“You are hopeless.” Olivia said, sighing and shaking her head.
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PRESIDENT JUAN VAZQUEZ TAKES OFFICE
Bogota, Colombia - August 7, 1982
President Juan Vazquez officially took office today as President of Colombia and has offered a truce to the rebels who have been battling the government for the last 33 years.
President Juan Vazquez, a politician that has followed in the footsteps of his father and his father before him to become President of Colombia broke tradition by holding the Presidential ceremony in Plaza Bolivar instead of in the capitol building as is custom.
The president also made his bid to join Colombia to the Non-Aligned Movement or NAM. The president, however, did not mention the situation Colombia joining the NAM would create with the United States and Latin American countries. The president did state that he wanted to hold a meeting of all the Latin American countries to figure out where Latin America stood with the United States’ support of Britain’s war with Argentina over the Falkland Islands.
While the president did confirm his support of NAM he did stress that this did not mean his support of the rebels of Colombia. President Vazquez stated that as a rebuttal of the rebel mentality he has discontinued any and all communication and diplomatic relations with Cuba.
Departing President Rudolfo Vazquez confirmed last year that he had discovered that Cuba and the leaders of the rebels, Miguel Moreno and Antonio Solis, had met recently and traded military expertise and cross-trained in Cuba.
President Vazquez had campaigned on the promise that he would attempt a truce with the rebels, however, as of the present time he has not made good on this promise. If he was to attempt to make a truce and be successful, he would be the first President of Colombia to recognize the rebels as a force needed to negotiate with, whereas, the previous presidents merely attempted to control the rebels with military.
Congress is a majority of leftist supporters who have 2 bills currently in circulation offering a general amnesty to all guerrillas, which will most likely be vetoed by President Vazquez.
The inauguration was attended by 50 countries, including Vice President Bush who entered into a closed door meeting with President Vazquez before the ceremony.
Civil strife between President Vazquez conservative party and the leftist party has waged from the 1940’s to present day leaving behind them a trail of 200,000 Colombian citizens.
To show his support of a political harmony President Vazquez has invited 12 leftist supporters to his cabinet and 12 conservative party members to his cabinet.
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In Texas, Robert had been dead 3 years. Ava was 6 years old. Olivia watched her daughter who was the spitting image of her father mope around, The death of her father causing her to walk around the house clutching her favorite doll. Olivia shook her head, her family had been torn apart.
“I have to get away.” Olivia said to her Dad, Trinidad, one day. Trinidad sat at his kitchen table, his face weathered from years of hard work. Olivia sat next to him, her face ghostly white, her eyes bloodshot due to lack of sleep, her hair frizzing, whether due to the humidity of North Texas or her psychological state, no one knew. “If I don’t get away, I will end up tracking down Robert’s killer and killing him.” Trinidad looked at his daughter, so young and to have had such a great love and such a great loss in her short 20 years.
“What do you need from me?” Trinidad asked, putting his hand on hers.
“I don’t know.” Olivia said, wiping tears from her face. She looked around at her mom and dad’s kitchen, she wanted to run far, far away.
“Somewhere where I don’t think about Robert or our depressing lot in life.” Olivia said, staring at the orange flowered kitchen drapes that she grew up with. All of a sudden she hated it, she hated everything, she could feel her anger and frustration welling up inside her throat. She wanted to scream.
Trinidad knew the anger, hurt and pain that was going through her was killing her.
“Do you know who did it?” Trinidad whispered, looking at her, trying to keep the conversation down from the family walking around.
Olivia shook her head, the tears spilling from her eyes again, still looking at the drapes. She drew a breath in and her eyes looked directly into her father’s eyes. Through clenched teeth she whispered, “I know who is rumored to have done it. I know who was starting shit when I left and I know who was not here when I came back. I want him dead! I want to see him bleeding, I want him to hurt like my girls hurt!” She stopped because she couldn’t breathe anymore and tears were spilling from her eyes.
Trinidad pulled away from Olivia. He saw the anger and hate in her eyes and it scared him. “You know what we believe, God will bring his vengeance in his own time. Do not allow anger and hate to rule you, because then he wins.”
Olivia exhaled, wiping her face. “I know apa, I know you’re right.”
“This is what’s going to happen, you find an apartment anywhere for any price. Daddy will make sure you’re well taken care of, I will pay the rent but you pay all electricity, etc.” Trinidad said, picking Olivia up by her shoulder and grabbing her things and walking her to the door.
Olivia turned to the hallway. “Ava! We’re leaving! Ok Dad, thank you so much, I don’t know what I would do without you.”
Trinidad patted her shoulder and stood in the doorway as Olivia and Ava walked across the street to the house Olivia and Robert had occupied for a short time.
“How is she?” Trinidad’s wife and Olivia’s mother, Elizabeth asked. Elizabeth was Olivia’s exact opposite looks-wise. Where Olivia was petite with tan skin and black full hair, Elizabeth was tall and light skinned with light brown hair.
“I hope she can one day recover.” Trinidad said. “It’s so sad.”
Trinidad paid for an apartment in North Dallas and set Olivia up in it. For one year Olivia and her two daughters lived there, away from the neighborhood, away from the people who had seen everything and refused to talk, away from the memory of Robert. She threw herself into religion, exercising, the girls education and going back to college.
Olivia sat in her fresh new apartment in an unknown neighborhood with unknown people. She looked down on years and years of uncertainty and doubt, whereas before she had seen her future happy with her husband and family. The bright white hot anger that had once pulsated through her so much that it made part of her go numb, dulled and now all that was left was a dull pain of a life that went on after heartbreak.
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A COUNTY MIRED IN FUTILITY
Bogota, Colombia - January 5, 1994
There are many leftist groups in Colombia. Until today we have decided not to name them in hopes of keeping them in the background of Colombia. However, up until today Farc has kept Colombia busy with a bloody civil uprising. Among other things, many other rebel groups have sprouted up.
In 1990 the Ejercito de Liberacion Nacional/ELN or the National Liberation Army joined forces with Farc for peace negotiations with the Colombian government, however, the government’s military attack on the Farc compound Casa Verde during the peace talks ended any hope of peace.
The government defends its actions by confirming that the peace talks were not going anywhere meanwhile Farc was continuing all illegal activities.
The government and the leftist rebels attempted reconciliation efforts again in 1991 meeting in neutral territories in Monterrey, Mexico and Caracas, Venezuela, however the fighting continued in Colombia, making any attempt at peace unsuccessful.
It is estimated that Farc has currently grown from 7,000 fighters to 10,000 fighters and are organized into 70 fronts throughout Colombia.
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1998-
“Wooooo hooooooooooo!” Ava shouted as she stood up from the red convertible mustang, her hair and clothes billowing in the wind. Ava was now 18 and was a small petite tan young woman with her Dad’s asian shaped eyes and full lips, full figure (not from her mom’s side of the family) and a pair of legs that knocked all the guys out.
“Ava, sit down! I am going to get a ticket!” Samantha said, her eyes blood shot from the drugs they’d been smoking.
“How are you not freezing your ass off?” Laura asked her, dragging her back to sit down as they put the convertible top back up.
“Screw it Chica, it’s my birthday weekend, I am FINALLY 18 years old, we are going to the club tonight, we are seniors this year and I am going to live - it - up!” Ava said, as she got her lipstick from her purse and her hand held mirror.
Ava’s pager went off and all the girls screamed. They knew it was Ava’s boyfriend Martin paging her. “Pull over at a pay phone!” Ava squealed, while Samantha high fived her.
The radio was on and a news announcement had just been issued regarding the war in Colombia.
“Oh God! Turn that off and put some good music on!” Ava groaned in the back seat sitting up and taking a swig of her Zima and giving it to her friend Samantha, the driver.
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President Zuologa hailed as the first President to come close to calling a truce with Farc
Bogota, Colombia - May 4, 1999
President Zuologa is being hailed as the first President to successfully negotiate with Farc. President Zuologa, decided to take matters into his own hands after 6 months of attempted negotiations and personally went face to face for 6 hours with Farc Leader Santiago Iglesias, leader of Farc. Farc’s former leaders were rumored to have died in conflict, however, their bodies were never found. This meeting was the first meeting between a Farc leader and the President of Colombia since 1964.
It happened today at 1:00 a.m. Colombian time that an impromptu news conference was held and President Zuologa and Mr. Iglesias of Farc sat with heavily armed guerrillas and read their agreement to the press.
Not everything has been resolved but mostly everything had and the progress made was quite substantial, President Zuologa advised.
President Zuologa, as many successors before him, had campaigned on the promise of peace talks between the government and Farc. President Zuologa’s first attempt last year failed after the Government had refused to call back its troops from disputed parts of Colombia.
President Zuologa finally relented and promised to withdraw the government’s military from a large mass of Colombia, which drew criticism from the conservative party.
All was not lost for President Zuologa who terminated 2 military high ranking officials after an intelligence report revealed both their close ties to Santiago Iglesias and Farc. Both the government and Farc knew that they were at an ultimatum and were eager for peace talks to resume and cease all fighting.
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It was 1999, Ava was 22 and going to the local community college. Ava sat in her Sociology class listening to the teacher’s lecture as she walked up and down the aisles. She was a short African American woman who dressed as nice as she possibly could and always had matching accessories. She was talking about behaviors that were sensible that required thought.
“Take for instance the plight of the Colombians…” the teacher said, “They have rebel forces that have fought against the government since the 1960’s who have continued to resist the ideas of democracy and their government. Now these people fight, they fight the government military with the same guns the military have and when they do not have guns they fight with rocks and knives. Now what kind of sense does that make? Can you not see who will win when it comes to machine guns and knives and rocks?”
Ava, who’d been daydreaming, suddenly realized that while her teacher was a good teacher, she had no idea what courage meant.
“What are you talking about?” A student who was sitting not too far from Ava asked angrily.
Ava looked over in surprise. There sat a very beautiful, yet intelligent and obviously Colombian young woman.
“Don’t you think that it’s more important to not give up a fight when people have been oppressed for thousands of years by a tyrannical government? Even if there are only rocks in their hands?” The young woman’s voice shook with anger and tears.
The rest of the class had also looked up in surprise and realized the faux pas the teacher was making and the extreme anger and hurt that the young woman was feeling for her people made them all look away with trepidation.
Ava never heard the reply the teacher made but it was lame and it was not good enough to explain or erase the hurt the young woman was feeling while she cried in her chair.
Ava was frozen, she couldn’t look at the girl with the hurt and pain in her eyes and she couldn’t look at the teacher, so angry was Ava at the flippancy with which she gave such remarks. Ava was surprised, Olivia had always taught her that African Americans knew the pain and torment of segregation and that they were more willing to view people of different races with these same eyes, however, it seemed this teacher was not of that open mind. Ava wished she had the opportunity to say something to comfort the girl after class but the girl ran out of class after it was over, obviously very upset.
Ava was so angry at her own cowardice, at her inability to stick up for her classmate who was so clearly upset and hurt against a teacher who’d spoken out of turn. She vowed to always stand up for those that were being humiliated and hurt from that point on.
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