The Colombian government and leftist guerrillas agreed Saturday to swap sick prisoners in what would be the first major breakthrough since peace talks began more than two years ago. Under the agreement, the FARC would begin releasing 42 sick police and soldiers followed later by more than 100 healthy servicemen. After the rebel army releases the captive servicemen, the government will free 15 sick guerrillas from government prisons. Among the first captives to be freed is police Col. Acosta was critically injured in the crash.
Servicemen are on meager diets of rice, beans and potatoes.
Many suffer from hernias and stomach ulcers, said Marleny Orjuela, president of an association of family members of the captive servicemen. Although the swap would be the first significant breakthrough since peace talks opened in January 1999, the two sides have yet to show progress on a cease-fire agreement or any other part of the sweeping peace agenda they agreed to debate. The years of slow negotiations have left Colombians with little hope the process will bring peace, according to a poll published in Saturday's El Espectador newspaper. Soldiers captured 30 ELN combatants during military strikes Saturday near Cali, Colombia's third-largest city.