Colombia: September 5, 2005

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FARC rebels destroyed six electrical transmission towers, taking out electricity for about three million people in southern Colombia. FARC uses economic crimes like this to terrorize the local leadership. If too much heat is put on FARC by the army and police, the leftist rebels like to remind everyone that they can hurt the economy and make everyone miserable.

FARC has rejected peace talks with the government, and said that no such talks are possible as long as Alvaro Uribe is president. The leftist rebels see Uribe as too effective in fighting them, and unreachable by bribes or assassins. FARC does not want to negotiate with a politician they cannot control.