Persuasive essay

Manuela Romero Belalcázar
Pre AP English 10th
28 February 2008


Colombian Guerrilla’s Lack Political Validity and Their Destruction of Colombian Society


Communism appeared first in Latin-America with the revolutions in Cuba and in Mexico against their government. During the period in which these two communist revolutions occurred, Colombia was suffering a weak moment socially and politically since Conservative party had been in power for over 50 years and the liberals had no voice. The liberal guerrillas had been eliminated militarily but the social problem which generated conflict among these two parties still existed. Thus, the guerrillas reappeared in Colombia this time defending communism since it had proven to be successful in the revolutions of Mexico and Cuba. The communist ideals were social and economical equality for everyone. This was a protest from the poor subjugated classes which had been manipulated by the Colombian elite for its own benefit.

Although the ideals of the guerrillas have changed through time, they have always used the wrong means for getting what they want politically, socially and economically. Guerilla’s actions today aren’t consistent with their communist ideals. These groups say they want equality for all Colombians and a system that defends the wellbeing of everyone, especially of the lower classes. However, guerrillas kidnap and kill farmers among other poor people who live in small provincial towns trying to get money or to simply get more soldiers for war. Guerrillas end up harming not only the kidnapped directly, but their whole families. The methods applied by the guerrillas for protesting against the capitalist system aren’t the appropriate ones. It is evident throughout Colombian history that violence is not effective. The previous guerrillas who defended liberal values were attacked militarily and eradicated in the 1900’s. Despite this, since the social problems guerrillas addressed weren’t really solved, the guerrillas reappeared, this time inspired by the communist ideas in Mexico and Cuba. Although in their time of origin they might have had certain political validity, now it is impossible to adopt a communist system or even to believe in guerrillas who have shown themselves treacherous and deceitful.
The ideological validity of guerrillas’ proposals is none since the whole world has changed into a developed capitalist society and it would be impossible for countries to survive in the actual world following a communist system.

On the other hand, FARC claims to be the people’s army and to defend the interests of the majority: the poor. Recently FARC has attacked directly the citizens in preaches to defend. Three years ago, there was a massacre in a church in Bojayá, Chocó. In this small town, no oligarchy or politicians were attacked; the victims were just humble and poor people who form the majority of Colombia’s population. Why does the guerrilla attack those who it is allegedly defending? If it is for attracting more attention it really doesn’t need it, Colombia’s attention is focused on guerrilla, and among the kidnapped, are the politicians. FARC altogether with the other guerrillas in Colombia have bleeded its families and towns, they are the cause of the homeless people having to stay in the streets of Bogotá and other major cities of Colombia. But not only terrorist attacks make Colombians suffer, the forced abandonment of homes and farms worsens the conditions farmers and poor people have to suffer due to the so called “rebellion” of the “people’s army.

The guerrillas have lost all their ideological validity with the inhumanity of their actions. Colombians have been taken their liberty away because of the military conflict in which they are tangled into; they are stopped from getting to know their country and traveling freely through Colombia’s highways, they are thrown away from their homes and farms, they are kidnapped or they are enlisted unwillingly to become soldiers that defend the Guerrilla. It is unacceptable that people are thrown away from their homes and farms, and that life becomes a trading object. In a few words guerrillas have lost all their political validity and they have torn apart Colombian society falling into the seduction of illegal money and its commodities. The only solution Colombians have left is to agree upon a solution for recovering its countrymen, so that this problem, to which it has suffered for over forty years, is finished for once and for all.
As human beings we cannot allow any more lives to be taken away neither more Colombians to suffer the inhumane conditions of kidnapping by the guerrilla. Most importantly, we must recover Colombia’s territory and its freedom. The humanitarian agreement is the only solution to this war. Hopefully in a near future we will be able to enjoy our freedom with our whole families in our regained farms.