▁advoc ates ▁for ▁legal ization ▁of ▁drug ▁tra ff ick ing ▁as ▁a ▁tool ▁to ▁fin ance ▁its ▁military ▁object ives . ▁In ▁both ▁cases , ▁the ▁ins ur gency ▁groups ▁manage ▁to ▁gar ner ▁significant ▁political ▁support ▁of ▁far mers ▁who ▁serve ▁to ▁benefit ▁from ▁the ▁ill ic it ▁drug ▁trade , ▁prompt ing ▁grass ro ots ▁mobil ization , ▁political ▁activ ism , ▁and ▁ag itation ▁to ▁demand ▁legal ization ▁by ▁the ▁government . ▁ ▁P astr ana ▁presiden cy ▁( 1 9 9 8 – 2 0 0 2 ) ▁ ▁In ▁March ▁ 1 9 9 9 ▁members ▁of ▁a ▁local ▁F AR C ▁cont ing ent ▁killed ▁ 3 ▁USA - based ▁ind igen ous ▁rights ▁activ ists , ▁who ▁were ▁working ▁with ▁the ▁U ' W a ▁people ▁to ▁build ▁a ▁school ▁for ▁U ' W a ▁children , ▁and ▁were ▁fighting ▁against ▁enc ro achment ▁of ▁U ' W a ▁territory ▁by ▁mult in ational ▁oil ▁corpor ations . ▁The ▁kill ings ▁were ▁question ed ▁by ▁many ▁and ▁condem ned ▁by ▁many ▁others , ▁and ▁led ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁to ▁increase ▁pressure ▁on ▁the ▁P astr ana ▁administration ▁to ▁crack ▁down ▁on ▁F AR C ▁gu err illas . ▁▁ 1 9 9 8 – 2 0 0 2 ▁peace ▁process ▁▁ ▁With ▁the ▁hope ▁of ▁negoti ating ▁a ▁peace ▁settlement , ▁on ▁ 7 ▁November ▁ 1 9 9 8 , ▁President ▁And rés ▁P astr ana ▁granted ▁F AR C - EP ▁a ▁