BOGOTA, Sha'ban 10, 1435, Jun 8, 2014, SPA -- Colombia's leftist FARC rebels declared a ceasefire on Saturday for a three-week period covering a tight presidential election race on June 15, campaigning for which has centered on how to end five decades of war with the guerrilla group, Reuters reported. The June 9-30 ceasefire was announced in a scathing open letter to opposition candidate Oscar Ivan Zuluaga, posted on the group's website, in which it accuses him of making inflammatory statements and trying to foment more war. The FARC are keen to avoid Zuluaga's election, analysts say, because conditions he would impose to continue peace talks could lead to their breakdown and a return to all-out war. The talks were started in Havana in 2012 by President Juan Manuel Santos. "We want to tell the country, through you (Zuluaga), our decision to declare another unilateral ceasefire for the occasion of the second round of elections to the Presidency of the Republic," said the letter signed by FARC leader Timoleon Jimenez, who is known as Timochenko. --SPA 11:37 LOCAL TIME 08:37 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/w