The Revolutionary Armed The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Columbia (FARC)Forces of Columbia (FARC)

Eric Benckert, David Castro, Noelia Marin, and Christina Martinez

FARC BackgroundFARC Background

Columbia's oldest and Columbia's oldest and largest guerrilla grouplargest guerrilla group

Established in 1966 as the Established in 1966 as the military wing of the military wing of the Columbian Communist Party Columbian Communist Party (CCP)(CCP)

Broke from CCP and created Broke from CCP and created the Clandestine Columbian the Clandestine Columbian Communist Party (CCCP)Communist Party (CCCP)

Estimated 18,000-20,000 Estimated 18,000-20,000 fighting members on at fighting members on at least 80 fronts throughout least 80 fronts throughout ColumbiaColumbia

FARC Background Cont.FARC Background Cont.

FARC is classified as a terrorist FARC is classified as a terrorist group by U.S. and European Uniongroup by U.S. and European Union

Proclaimed itself a politico-Proclaimed itself a politico-military Marxist Leninist military Marxist Leninist organizationorganization

Ideology in Marxist Ideology in Marxist Bourgeois Bourgeois systemsystem

Claims to represent poor rural Claims to represent poor rural class against Columbia’s wealthy class against Columbia’s wealthy classesclasses

Opposes U.S. Opposes U.S. influence/interferenceinfluence/interference

FARC ultimate objective is an FARC ultimate objective is an armed revolution in Columbiaarmed revolution in Columbia

FARC Background FARC Background Cont.Cont.

Majority of fighters come from Majority of fighters come from poor rural backgroundpoor rural background

- 80% are peasants- 80% are peasants Mostly uneducatedMostly uneducated Most members join FARC for Most members join FARC for

revolutionary adventurism and revolutionary adventurism and paypay

FARC pays members $350 a FARC pays members $350 a monthmonth

-Columbian Army pays -Columbian Army pays $250$250

Majority of recruits are teensMajority of recruits are teens-male and female-male and female

LeadersLeaders

Eight Main LeadersEight Main Leaders Seven of them make up Seven of them make up

the General Secretariatthe General Secretariat Power positions range Power positions range

from Commander In from Commander In Chief, to Commander of Chief, to Commander of various military fronts various military fronts within Columbia, within Columbia, providers of ideology, to providers of ideology, to spokespersons and spokespersons and members of the General members of the General Secretariat Secretariat

Manuel Marulanda Velez Manuel Marulanda Velez

a.k.a., “Sure Shot”a.k.a., “Sure Shot” Birth name: Pedro Birth name: Pedro

Antonio MarinAntonio Marin FARC Founder and FARC Founder and

commander in commander in chiefchief

FARC Secretariat FARC Secretariat membermember

Jorge Briceno SuarezJorge Briceno Suarez

a.k.a., “Mono Jojoy”a.k.a., “Mono Jojoy” Second in Second in

command of FARCcommand of FARC Commander of the Commander of the

Eastern BlocEastern Bloc FARC Secretariat FARC Secretariat

membermember

German Briceno SuarezGerman Briceno Suarez

a.k.a. a.k.a. “Grannobles”“Grannobles”

Commander, Commander, 10th, 28th, 38th, 10th, 28th, 38th, 45th, and 56th 45th, and 56th frontsfronts

Younger brother Younger brother of Jorge Briceno of Jorge Briceno SuarezSuarez

Notorious for his Notorious for his wickedness and wickedness and disregard for lifedisregard for life

Guillermo LeonGuillermo Leon

a.k.a., “Alfonso a.k.a., “Alfonso Cano” Cano”

FARC’s chief FARC’s chief ideologueideologue

FARC Secretariat FARC Secretariat membermember

Leader of the Leader of the Bolivarian Bolivarian Movement for a Movement for a New ColumbiaNew Columbia

Luis Eduardo DeviaLuis Eduardo Devia a.k.a “Raul Reyes”a.k.a “Raul Reyes” FARC Secretariat FARC Secretariat

membermember In Charge of In Charge of

finances and finances and international policyinternational policy

Serves as Serves as international international spokesperson for spokesperson for FARCFARC

Rodrigo LondonoRodrigo Londono

a.k.a. “Timoleon”a.k.a. “Timoleon” Approximately 41 Approximately 41

years oldyears old A physician by A physician by

trainingtraining An avowed Marxist-An avowed Marxist-

LeninistLeninist FARC Secretariat FARC Secretariat

membermember

Luciano Marin ArangoLuciano Marin Arango

a.k.a, “Ivan a.k.a, “Ivan Marquez”Marquez”

FARC Secretariat FARC Secretariat membermember

University University EducatedEducated

Commands FARC Commands FARC military units in the military units in the Northwestern BlocNorthwestern Bloc

Noel Matta MattaNoel Matta Matta

a.k.a, “El Cucho”a.k.a, “El Cucho” FARC Secretariat FARC Secretariat

membermember Top arms Top arms

buyer/dealer for buyer/dealer for FARCFARC

Co-commander of Co-commander of the Northwestern the Northwestern Bloc Bloc

Major EventsMajor Events An entire dramatic leftist political An entire dramatic leftist political

party was party was eliminated by right wing Paramilitarieseliminated by right wing Paramilitaries

In the last decade more than 200 In the last decade more than 200 bombs have bombs have been blown up in Columbian cities been blown up in Columbian cities

Major Events Major Events Four presidential candidates Four presidential candidates More than 200 judges More than 200 judges 1200 polices officers1200 polices officers More than 100 journalistsMore than 100 journalists

More than 200,000 Columbian More than 200,000 Columbian

citizens have been citizens have been murdered murdered

Major EventsMajor Events April 17, 2001 a powerful April 17, 2001 a powerful

car bomb detonated in a car bomb detonated in a Columbian provincial Columbian provincial capital killing at least 12 capital killing at least 12 people and wounding more people and wounding more than 60 than 60

June 28, 2002 a catholic June 28, 2002 a catholic priest who was critical of priest who was critical of leftist rebels was shot dead leftist rebels was shot dead in front of a church where in front of a church where he had just performed a he had just performed a massmass

Major EventsMajor Events

FARC collects 400 million a FARC collects 400 million a year from the drug trade year from the drug trade

FARC forcibly recruits FARC forcibly recruits teenagers teenagers

Their use of laptops at road Their use of laptops at road blocks allows them to blocks allows them to check the bank account of check the bank account of divers – giving them divers – giving them information allowing them information allowing them to kidnap the richest to kidnap the richest

Major EventsMajor Events

Recently killed the governor of Mr. Recently killed the governor of Mr. Uribe’s home department of Antioquia a Uribe’s home department of Antioquia a former defense minister who was former defense minister who was kidnapped in April of 2002 while kidnapped in April of 2002 while leading a march leading a march

In 2001 there was a prisoner In 2001 there was a prisoner swap in which 363 captives – swap in which 363 captives – police and soldiers – were police and soldiers – were exchanged for 15 jailed exchanged for 15 jailed guerrilla members guerrilla members

Unfortunately this prisoner swap Unfortunately this prisoner swap has encouraged more kidnappings has encouraged more kidnappings of prominent politicians to use as of prominent politicians to use as bargaining chipsbargaining chips

Major EventsMajor Events Fired mortar shells into Fired mortar shells into

crowd that was attending crowd that was attending Columbia’s new president Columbia’s new president (Alvaro Uribe) inauguration (Alvaro Uribe) inauguration - ended up killing 18 and - ended up killing 18 and injured 69injured 69

FARC has been involved in FARC has been involved in bombing, murder, mortar bombing, murder, mortar attacks, kidnapping, attacks, kidnapping, extortion, high jacking, extortion, high jacking, guerilla and conventional guerilla and conventional military action against military action against Columbia political, military Columbia political, military plus economy targets.plus economy targets.

Major EventsMajor Events In 1999, there were 25 evangelical pastors murderedIn 1999, there were 25 evangelical pastors murdered Guerrillas have forced some 300 evangelical churches Guerrillas have forced some 300 evangelical churches

to close to close Averages of five people a day are kidnapped by Averages of five people a day are kidnapped by

guerrillas to finance their insurgence.guerrillas to finance their insurgence.

BombingsBombings

Bombings, murder, mortar Bombings, murder, mortar attacks, narcotic trafficking, attacks, narcotic trafficking, kidnapping, extortion, hijacking, kidnapping, extortion, hijacking, as well as guerrilla and as well as guerrilla and conventional military action conventional military action against Colombian political, against Colombian political, military, and economic targetsmilitary, and economic targets

Armed attacks against Armed attacks against Colombian political and military Colombian political and military targets. Many members pursue targets. Many members pursue criminal activities, carrying out criminal activities, carrying out kidnappings for profit and bank kidnappings for profit and bank robberies. Foreign citizens often robberies. Foreign citizens often are targets of FARC kidnappings. are targets of FARC kidnappings. Group traffics in drugs and has Group traffics in drugs and has well-documented ties to narcotic well-documented ties to narcotic traffickerstraffickers

ReferancesReferances

Boot,W.(2001). This is Not Vietnam. American Spectator, 32(2), 19-21.

Hudson, R. (1999). Who Becomes A Terrorist And Why: The 1999 Hudson, R. (1999). Who Becomes A Terrorist And Why: The 1999 Government Report On Profiling Terrorists. p. 155-164Government Report On Profiling Terrorists. p. 155-164

MacHarg, K. (1999) Twenty-five Pastors Killled This Year. Christianity Today.

Martin, G. (2003). Understanding Terrorism challenges, perspectives, and issues. Thousand Oaks, CA. Sage Publications.

MIPT Terrorism Knowledge Database. (2006). Group Profile: MIPT Terrorism Knowledge Database. (2006). Group Profile: Revolutionary Armed Forces Of Columbia. Retrieved February 14, Revolutionary Armed Forces Of Columbia. Retrieved February 14, 2006, from 2006, from http://www.tkb.org/Group.jsp?groupID=96http://www.tkb.org/Group.jsp?groupID=96

Stratfor. (2006). World Terrorism Report: Hotspots. Retrieved Stratfor. (2006). World Terrorism Report: Hotspots. Retrieved February 18, 2006, from February 18, 2006, from http://www.stratfor.com/products/premium/hotspots.php?showHothttp://www.stratfor.com/products/premium/hotspots.php?showHotSpotsSpots=1&hcId=25&section=key=1&hcId=25&section=key

United States Department of Defense www.State.Gov