Nicaragua president open to FARC talks

MANAGUA — Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega said he is open to meeting with Colombia's FARC rebels, but the Colombian government angrily rejected the proposal on Thursday.

The leftist Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia released a statement earlier this week saying it wants to talk with Ortega about "war and peace issues."

Ortega said late Wednesday he is willing to talk to the FARC, which has suffered a string of setbacks at the hands of the U.S.-backed Colombian government. He didn't say if any talks were planned.

"We are completely open to supporting an initiative that favors peace in Colombia," Ortega said. "The solution is not military, it's dialogue, negotiation."

Colombia sent a letter of protest Thursday to Nicaragua.

Bogota "does not authorize or support any initiative that Mr. Ortega intends to pursue in relation with a terrorist organization, in this case the FARC," Foreign Minister Jaime Bermudez said in the letter.

He also criticized Ortega for referring to the FARC as "brothers" during his speech.

Ortega himself led a rebel movement that toppled a Nicaraguan dictator in 1979. As president later, he fought U.S.-backed Contra guerrillas. He returned to the presidency last year.

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