Leftist Guerrillas

Brazil's suspended president Dilma Rousseff is to begin her defense case today in the Senate impeachment trial that could see the one-time leftist guerrilla ejected from office within days.

Leftist activists and victims of human rights abuses in the Philippines urged the Supreme Court today to block the burial of former President Ferdinand Marcos at a cemetery for national heroes, saying it would be unconstitutional.

Colombia's government announced Sunday it is pardoning 30 jailed members of the FARC in what it called a confidence-building measure as it pursues peace talks with the leftist guerrilla group.

Leftist National Liberation Army rebels killed 12 security officials Monday even as the government pushes for a peace deal with the larger FARC guerrilla force, President Juan Manuel Santos said.

The remains of three Colombian women that vanished in fighting when leftist rebels briefly captured the Justice Palace in 1985 have been identified, the attorney general's office said Tuesday.

The Colombian government reached a major De-escalation agreement on Sunday with leftist FARC guerrillas, agreeing for the first time to reduce anti-rebel operations in the decades-long armed conflict, diplomats in Havana said.

Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos on Friday blamed leftist ELN guerrillas for two explosions that rocked Bogota and left 10 people slightly injured a day earlier.

Former UN secretary-general Kofi Annan arrives in Cuba on Thursday to help prod negotiators from the Colombian government and leftist guerrillas to clinch a peace agreement.

Colombia's leftist FARC guerrillas freed an army general Sunday in a concession to revive peace talks, but the president refused to budge on their calls for a ceasefire.

President Dilma Rousseff, a former leftist guerrilla once imprisoned and tortured by Brazil's military regime, upheld her reputation for toughness in a hard-fought campaign that won her a new term on Sunday.

Colombian military officers and leftist guerrillas met face-to-face on Friday for the first time in their 50-year war, starting talks on a ceasefire that would take hold should the government and the rebels reach a comprehensive peace agreement.

Victims of Colombia's 50-year-old war pleaded with peace negotiators to reach a deal and said they were willing to forgive heinous acts of cruelty, urging Colombians to unite behind the effort to end the bloodshed.

Colombia's President Juan Manuel Santos said continuing attacks perpetrated by leftist FARC guerrillas, many of which target infrastructure, could bring an end to peace negotiations with the government.

The Colombian army killed at least 13 leftist guerrillas early on Wednesday in two separate engagements, the defence ministry said.

Colombia's leftist FARC rebels declared a ceasefire on Saturday for a three-week period covering a tight presidential election race on June 15, campaigning for which has centered on how to end five decades of war with the guerrilla group.

Brazil's suspended president Dilma Rousseff is to begin her defense case today in the Senate impeachment trial that could see the one-time leftist guerrilla ejected from office within days.

Leftist activists and victims of human rights abuses in the Philippines urged the Supreme Court today to block the burial of former President Ferdinand Marcos at a cemetery for national heroes, saying it would be unconstitutional.

Colombia's government announced Sunday it is pardoning 30 jailed members of the FARC in what it called a confidence-building measure as it pursues peace talks with the leftist guerrilla group.

Leftist National Liberation Army rebels killed 12 security officials Monday even as the government pushes for a peace deal with the larger FARC guerrilla force, President Juan Manuel Santos said.

The remains of three Colombian women that vanished in fighting when leftist rebels briefly captured the Justice Palace in 1985 have been identified, the attorney general's office said Tuesday.

The Colombian government reached a major De-escalation agreement on Sunday with leftist FARC guerrillas, agreeing for the first time to reduce anti-rebel operations in the decades-long armed conflict, diplomats in Havana said.

Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos on Friday blamed leftist ELN guerrillas for two explosions that rocked Bogota and left 10 people slightly injured a day earlier.

Former UN secretary-general Kofi Annan arrives in Cuba on Thursday to help prod negotiators from the Colombian government and leftist guerrillas to clinch a peace agreement.

Colombia's leftist FARC guerrillas freed an army general Sunday in a concession to revive peace talks, but the president refused to budge on their calls for a ceasefire.

President Dilma Rousseff, a former leftist guerrilla once imprisoned and tortured by Brazil's military regime, upheld her reputation for toughness in a hard-fought campaign that won her a new term on Sunday.

Colombian military officers and leftist guerrillas met face-to-face on Friday for the first time in their 50-year war, starting talks on a ceasefire that would take hold should the government and the rebels reach a comprehensive peace agreement.

Victims of Colombia's 50-year-old war pleaded with peace negotiators to reach a deal and said they were willing to forgive heinous acts of cruelty, urging Colombians to unite behind the effort to end the bloodshed.

Colombia's President Juan Manuel Santos said continuing attacks perpetrated by leftist FARC guerrillas, many of which target infrastructure, could bring an end to peace negotiations with the government.

The Colombian army killed at least 13 leftist guerrillas early on Wednesday in two separate engagements, the defence ministry said.

Colombia's leftist FARC rebels declared a ceasefire on Saturday for a three-week period covering a tight presidential election race on June 15, campaigning for which has centered on how to end five decades of war with the guerrilla group.