BOGOTA — Colombian government negotiators launched talks with Marxist rebels in Havana on Monday after a 10-year US-backed military offensive weakened Latin America’s oldest guerrilla movement.Guerrillas from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or Farc, are demanding an end to exploitation of the Andean nation’s oil and mineral wealth by foreign mining and energy companies, and the scrapping of Colombia’s free trade pact with the US.The government of President Juan Manuel Santos is insisting that the rebels stick to a five-point agenda, which includes rural development and a search for a solution to drug trafficking."We are not going to negotiate Colombia’s development model, or the government’s policies," chief government negotiator Humberto de la Calle said as he left for Cuba on Sunday. "Nor are we asking the Farc to abandon their ideas."The prospect of an end to half-a-century of bloodshed halted a slide in Mr Santos’s popularity, polls show. That could change if Colombi...

Subscribe now to unlock this article.

Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).

There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.

Cancel anytime.

Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.

Speech Bubbles

Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.