Colombians stage protest:

Tens of thousands of people protested in more than 20 cities across Colombia on Saturday against President Juan Manuel Santos and his government’s peace process with the FARC guerrillas.

The demonstrations come just days after Bogota launched peace talks with the country’s second-biggest guerrilla group, the National Liberation Army (ELN), setting its sights on a total end to a bloody half-century conflict.

Large crowds ignored heavy rain in some cities as they took to the streets. Many demonstrators were decked out in the yellow, blue and red colors of the Colombian flag.

The protests were called by the Democratic Center party of the conservative former president Alvaro Uribe, who has voiced consistent opposition to negotiations with the Marxist FARC. The 62 year-old Uribe remains popular and powerful opposition figure. His 2002-2010 presidency was marked by a tough crackdown on the leftist rebels, as well as charges that he favored right-wing paramilitary groups.

In late February Uribe’s youngest brother Santiago was arrested on homicide charges linked to a paramilitary hit squad known as the Twelve Apostles. The ex-president claims that Santiago is a “political prisoner”.

President Santos, who was Uribe’s defense minister, currently suffers from low approval ratings.

(AP) People gather in Bolivar Square to protest against President Juan Manuel Santos’ government and to denounce concessions the government has made in peace talks with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, in Bogota, Colombia on April 2.