Negotiating the Peace Accords

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Celestino remembers the process that led to the Peace Accords and why it was difficult for the guerrillas to agree to give up their arms.

Transcription

I wasn't a high commander, I was always a mid-level officer. When we were discussing the option of dialogue leading to the Peace Accords, it was so difficult. We realized that we had a lot of demands to make on the government but we didn't have much to offer. We barely had anything to give them. The only thing we had to give them were our weapons.

Look... When we gathered our troops together, it was so difficult to tell everyone: "Comrades, on this date we're going to the bargaining table to negotiate the Peace Accords. We need to assert our demands: the demobilization of the National Guard and of the Treasury Police, the downsizing of the army, and land."

We began listing things off. But we realized we were going to be asked for something in return and that we would have to turn in our weapons.

Some people who had been carrying a firearm for twelve years asked, "How can I possibly turn in my rifle and remain empty-handed? If the enemy comes, he'll just kill me."

The commanders didn't had to have the confidence to say, "No comrades, that is why the accords will involve both sides, that's why we all have to be aligned."

So we began to talk to them. It was a wonderful day when we returned to our headquarters across the country. I was in La Reina.