Interview with Timoleon Jimenez, Leader of the FARC

Here.

Great interview with the leader of the FARC, Timoleon Jimenez, by Voz Magazine, the mouthpiece of the Colombian Communist Party. The FARC split from the PCC a long time ago and formed their own party, the PCCC, Clandestine Communist Party of Colombia. That’s basically the above ground organization of the FARC, however, the PCCC is still nevertheless very underground due to extreme repression. Even the PCC and Voz experience extreme repression though they have no FARC links.

Massive US military assistance, in particular in the area of aviation, have helped to turn the tide against the FARC. In addition, the US has helped with intelligence operations, including the use of drones.

However, FARC attacks have been rising dramatically for several years now, as have Colombian military casualties. There are battles nearly every day in Colombia, often more than one action a day. The FARC probably has 50,000 fighters, and lately they have shifted more to urban militia operations. These fighters operate out of their homes in urban areas and wear no uniforms. There are probably 30,000 FARC militia members.

In some towns, the FARC simply rules. Pretty much everyone in town is with them (up to 20,000 people) and to go against them is to risk your life. This is particularly true in areas of the southwest coast.

Kudos to Voz for getting this great interview.