Two die in protests in north-eastern Colombia

Poilce shot dead two protesters on 25 June in the north-eastern department of Norte de Santander as a crowd sought to advance on the airport in the district of Ocaña, the setting of weeks of protests over the government's bid to eradicate coca plantations locally. In total four people have died since protests and road blocks began on 12 or 18 June, while 30 including eight policemen were injured in the latest violent surge in Ocaña, Bogotá's Radio Santa Fe reported on 26 June. The broadcaster observed that police have accused members of the two communist guerrilla forces the ELN and FARC, of infiltrating protests or acting as agents provocateurs. The regional police chief General Yesid Vázquez Prada said the guerrillas were perhaps financing protests as "unfortunately there are interests that also benefit the guerrillas" - namely being able to cultivate coca. Presidential adviser Luis Eduardo Garzón said separately that conversations were to begin on 27 June in the district of Tibú between protest and government representatives including the Interior, Defence and Agriculture ministers. He said the sides would discuss such themes as alternative farming to coca cultivation, the creation of a farming reserve (Zona de Reserva Campesina del Catatumbo) for the area and rural development proposals, Radio Santa Fe reported. Colombia's National Police chief very partially rectified earlier comments he made on the protests, wherein he chided police for their apparent torpor before "increasing" road blocks. His comments effectively included praising the former president Álvaro Uribe who has become one of the current President's harshest critics. General José Roberto León Riaño said he had merely observed on the "daily challenge we face before Colombians" who he said "understandably" missed Mr Uribe. He said he had suggested the country should pursue Mr Uribe's "democratic security" policies, which reduced insecurity in the years 2002-10, Caracol radio reported on 25 June. President Juan Manuel Santos wrote on the website Twitter that  the general had been quoted "out of context" and he had asked him to "persevere with and intensify" actions against crime.