Santos announces temporary suspension of bombings against FARC

President Juan Manuel Santos, announced Tuesday the suspension for one month bombing against communist guerrillas of the FARC, a step that seeks to accelerate the peace process to end armed conflict more than five decades.

Santos announced the measure in a televised speech that aims to accelerate the negotiations held since November 2012 in Cuba with the Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).

“To promote the escalation of the conflict, I have decided to order the defense minister and the commanders of the forces to cease the bombing of the FARC camp for a month,” he said.

The head of state said he was responding gesture by the FARC, which later this year began a historic cease-fire. “As for the unilateral and indefinite cease-fire announced by the FARC on December 18, we must recognize that they being met,” he said.

The measure will be reassessed with the military in a month, Santos noted, however clarified that no waiver of airstrikes in case of “imminent threat”.