The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), which engages in drug trafficking to fund its terrorist attacks, is undergoing an internal conflict over the direction of the organization.
The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), which engages in drug trafficking to fund its terrorist attacks, is undergoing an internal conflict over the direction of the organization.
In recent months, at least 17 FARC operatives have left the group to commit themselves exclusively to drug trafficking. Their departure hurts the finances of the illegal organization because they generated large amounts of revenue by trafficking drugs.
“The internal struggle is not only over ideological issues but also because there are large amounts of economic resources in play,” said Néstor Alfonso Rosanía Miño, a security analyst at the Security, Defense, and International Affairs Research Center in Colombia.
‘Timochenko’ confirms internal struggle
Rodrigo Londoño Echeverry, known as “Timochenko” or “Timoleón Jiménez” and the FARC’s current leader, discussed the internal struggle in early December.
FARC has lost several operatives who have “taken full bore to drug trafficking,” Timochenko said according to El Tiempo
December 7.
Reports from the Colombian National Army, the Colombian National Police, and United States security forces indicate that the 17 FARC operatives who left the organization “are exclusively committing themselves to large-scale trafficking of coca,” the newspaper reported.
Among those are two long-time FARC operatives who have been active in narco-trafficking: Juan de Jesús Rincón, who is known as “Grillo,” and José David Suárez, who is known as “Becerro.”
Becerro has connections with Mexican, Guatemalan, Nicaraguan, and Honduran drug trafficking organizations and is known for transporting large amounts of drugs. For instance, in April, the Colombian Navy, police agents, and the Office of the Public Prosecutor seized seven tons of cocaine at the Port of Cartagena. Law enforcement officials believe three of those belonged to Becerro.
He’s also known to be violent: police suspect that he is connected to the killings of eight people in October, whose bodies were found on a farm in the village of Pance, near Cali. The killings may have been part of a conflict between rival drug traffickers; one of the victims, who was identified as “J1”, was a member of an organization tied to the Clan Úsuga.
Armed Forces fight FARC drug trafficking
As the FARC undergoes its internal conflict, the Military and police forces are continuing to confront them.
For example, in 2014, members of the Armed Forces and police captured or killed more than 20 FARC operatives from Front 27 who engaged in drug trafficking. Another 40 members of Front 27 demobilized in 2014.
“The offensive against this front has been constant and successful thanks to joint operations in which intelligence and FAC [Colombian Air Force] aircraft have played an essential part,” the Air Force reported December 19. “The Armed Forces and the police will continue to relentlessly carry out operations against all narco-terrorist organizations that wish to disturb the peace, security, and well-being of Colombians.”
The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), which engages in drug trafficking to fund its terrorist attacks, is undergoing an internal conflict over the direction of the organization.
In recent months, at least 17 FARC operatives have left the group to commit themselves exclusively to drug trafficking. Their departure hurts the finances of the illegal organization because they generated large amounts of revenue by trafficking drugs.
“The internal struggle is not only over ideological issues but also because there are large amounts of economic resources in play,” said Néstor Alfonso Rosanía Miño, a security analyst at the Security, Defense, and International Affairs Research Center in Colombia.
‘Timochenko’ confirms internal struggle
Rodrigo Londoño Echeverry, known as “Timochenko” or “Timoleón Jiménez” and the FARC’s current leader, discussed the internal struggle in early December.
FARC has lost several operatives who have “taken full bore to drug trafficking,” Timochenko said according to El Tiempo
December 7.
Reports from the Colombian National Army, the Colombian National Police, and United States security forces indicate that the 17 FARC operatives who left the organization “are exclusively committing themselves to large-scale trafficking of coca,” the newspaper reported.
Among those are two long-time FARC operatives who have been active in narco-trafficking: Juan de Jesús Rincón, who is known as “Grillo,” and José David Suárez, who is known as “Becerro.”
Becerro has connections with Mexican, Guatemalan, Nicaraguan, and Honduran drug trafficking organizations and is known for transporting large amounts of drugs. For instance, in April, the Colombian Navy, police agents, and the Office of the Public Prosecutor seized seven tons of cocaine at the Port of Cartagena. Law enforcement officials believe three of those belonged to Becerro.
He’s also known to be violent: police suspect that he is connected to the killings of eight people in October, whose bodies were found on a farm in the village of Pance, near Cali. The killings may have been part of a conflict between rival drug traffickers; one of the victims, who was identified as “J1”, was a member of an organization tied to the Clan Úsuga.
Armed Forces fight FARC drug trafficking
As the FARC undergoes its internal conflict, the Military and police forces are continuing to confront them.
For example, in 2014, members of the Armed Forces and police captured or killed more than 20 FARC operatives from Front 27 who engaged in drug trafficking. Another 40 members of Front 27 demobilized in 2014.
“The offensive against this front has been constant and successful thanks to joint operations in which intelligence and FAC [Colombian Air Force] aircraft have played an essential part,” the Air Force reported December 19. “The Armed Forces and the police will continue to relentlessly carry out operations against all narco-terrorist organizations that wish to disturb the peace, security, and well-being of Colombians.”
I congratulate the Colombian military forces for the work they have done. They are truly to be recognized. Too bad we have a president who doesn’t cooperate with them. Truth is, that man is worthless That’s great!! Congratulations to all those who mobilize because they too want a country free of war. you who haven’t done it, do it for Colombia. The country needs you, God bless you and ARGENTINE ARMY: A MISSILE was stolen from a regiment close to the city of La Plata. The people want to know what’s going on. Commander in Chief of the Army is or was the highest authority in the information services but we know nothing. This is very dangerous. We will all fight for a world of peace and social justice. The Santos Administration has been a complete disaster but they’ve bought the mainstream media. He’s betrayed his voters and every one of his policies has failed. There are 8,000 FARC terrorists and 2,000 ELN against 45 million Colombians.
We cannot turn the country over to these criminals!!! Colombian musicians sing for peace; that’s the government’s policy. Important news section to keep the Colombians well-informed I’m no one to say but there will never be peace in this world because one alone can give peace and you and I and all of us know that peace is given to us by God! We will only find the happiness we all seek by knowing him, so too bad, but neither Santos or the saintliest person on earth will be able to do what God does, give us Peace A politician is able to sell his own mother if he has to, in order to become famous, I hope they’re not selling their souls to the devil, seeing is believing. As the great Colombian that I am, I support all the ideas that President Santos has implemented. Because this country has been in conflict for 50 years and all those groups just outside the law have to be given the chance to come back into civilian society. I want all those unscrupulous people who don’t think with their heads to do so. Let me give you an example. It’s hard for anyone to run a household, wife and children, etc. Now [imagine running] a country full of conflicts and war. That’s why I say if anyone rejects the steps Santos is taking to achieve such longed-for PEACE, which all us COLOMBIANS want, he is not Santos’ enemy, he’s an enemy of Peace. I leave you there to reflect and stop criticizing. I hope all this isn’t a farce or a set-up Drug trafficking is the most damaging and corrupting activity created by man and the methods created by the State to fight it have fallen short and have not brought the best results. This activity continues and the juicy dividends constantly attract more of the rebellious, stateless citizens who have no opportunities in life such that in exchange for a few ill-gained pesos, the choose a life of crime, willing to even lose their life over it. There is a whole economic infrastructure behind this criminal activity which has to begin to be dismantled. If the FARC truly wants to achieve peace, it should concentrate on just one place and the government should respect this place, it should be guarded until the process is finished, but it does not do so. I imagine it’s because it wants to keep on with drugs. That’s why it’s in their interest to keep the process going on. The future of thousands of youth is being compromised by the incessant growth of the impact of this evil [drugs], produced in mountainous countries, that largely encircles and inhabits all other countries. Fierce combat by local and state authorities is important to deter them from spilling over the border. Wherever drugs arrive, a new reality sets in…pro/25