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As a diplomatic theater of the absurd, nothing could quite compare with the continuing siege in Colombia. The stage was the broad Avenida de Carrera in central Bogotá, cordoned off around the three-story embassy of the Dominican Republic; the handmade red-white-and-blue flag flying outside the building was that of a Colombian revolutionary group called M-19, for April 19 Movement. More than a dozen of their masked and armed guerrillas, including at least four women, remained in full control of the compound they seized almost two weeks ago in a gunfight during an Independence Day reception given by the Dominican Ambassador. They had a bonanza of prisoners: more than a score of diplomats from 18 countries, including the papal nuncio; Washington's respected Spanish-born envoy, Diego Asencio, 48, and 13 other ambassadors.
Negotiations between the Colombians and the guerrillas were carried on inside a cream-colored van parked in front of the embassy's main gate. Last week two officials of the Colombian Foreign Ministry met inside the truck with one of the guerrilla women, who was wearing a jogging jacket, jeans and a woolen mask over her face. She was accompanied by Mexican Ambassador Ricardo Galan, representing the prisoners. All three men, with Latin chivalry, gallantly stood aside to allow the hooded woman to enter first. After two hours and 20 minutes of secret talks, there were signs of some progress. Austrian Ambassador Edgar Selzer was released and flew off to Vienna to be at the bedside of his dying wife.
The government steadfastly resisted the guerrillas' original demands, for $50 million and the release of 311 political prisoners. But it was said to have put forward a proposal offering the terrorists safe passage out of the country and an aircraft to fly them to Austria, Panama or Switzerland. Also included in the government's package, according to some reports, was the proposal that Pope John Paul II be asked to enter into the negotiations, presumably through an emissary. The terrorists' hooded negotiator was said to have shown some flexibility about the guerrillas' demand for the $50 million, but very little in regard to the prisoners.
Inside the embassy the guerrillas were treating their captives with courtesy and consideration. The Costa Rican Ambassador, who was released shortly after the takeover, described the terrorists as "a group of highly educated intellectuals" who displayed "incredible discipline" in responding to their masked chieftain, "Commandante Número Uno."
Each day the Colombian Red Cross showed up to deliver food and, ever so tidily, take away the garbage. Inside, life went on as "in a hotel," according to a Colombian government official. The Haitian Ambassador telephoned his girlfriend back in Port-au-Prince. The Egyptian Ambassador ordered, and received, kibbi, his favorite dish, in addition to the Koran. The papal nuncio, Monsignor Angelo Acerbi, celebrated Mass twice a day, using sacramental wine and a crucifix that the terrorists had allowed the Red Cross to deliver.