Wave of Terror Attacks by FARC in Colombia
The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), a Marxist militant group, carried out a chilling series of 31 terrorist attacks over the weekend. Notably, a highway bombing on Saturday claimed the lives of 21 civilians, marking it as one of the worst terrorist incidents Colombia has experienced in decades.
FARC, classified as a foreign terrorist organization by the U.S., was established over 60 years ago. It ostensibly disbanded and renounced violence in 2016 after signing a peace agreement with the government led by former President Juan Manuel Santos, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts.
The Colombian government along with mainstream media have long argued that the active faction of FARC, now termed a “dissident” group, operates under the Central Chiefs of Staff (EMC), claiming its leaders are based in Bogotá. However, the narrative contrasts sharply with ongoing issues of drug trafficking and terrorism attributed to Marxist factions in Colombia. As part of the supposed peace deal, FARC leaders were granted legal immunity and political positions in Parliament, although their party, Comune, lost all its seats during the March elections for failing to meet the necessary vote count.
In a striking order last weekend, EMC leader Nestor Gregorio Vera Fernández, also known as “Ivan Mordisco,” executed a string of terrorist attacks throughout western and southwestern regions, resulting in a violently tumultuous weekend for Colombia. Colombian authorities reported that five of the plots were successfully intercepted.
The attacks reportedly involved the use of explosive-laden vehicles targeting military sites, grenades dropped from drones, vandalism with pro-FARC slogans, road disruptions, and even a truck carrying live poultry set on fire.
The deadliest of the 31 attacks occurred on the Pan-American Highway near Cazibio in Cauca state, where a bomb thrown into a passenger bus killed 21 and injured at least 56. This incident has been highlighted as the most fatal since the bombing of the El Nogal social club in Bogotá back in 2003.
In emotional testimony, Vivian Tejada, who lost three family members in the bombing, shared that her relatives were returning from a funeral when the attack occurred. Another individual, Luz Dani Valencia, mourned the loss of four family members, expressing the profound sadness of the situation.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro suggested that these attacks might be linked to attempts to disrupt the forthcoming presidential elections set for May 31. He implied that the orchestrations extend beyond just FARC members, attributing it to a broader “drug trafficking cartel” that allegedly includes international drug lords from Europe and the Middle East.
Petro warned that the violence, particularly from the group in Cauca, aligns with the desires of drug cartels wanting far-right leadership to prevail.
In a report by Colombian newspapers, it was revealed that Ivan Mordisco’s recent vengeful wave of attacks was in response to the loss of his girlfriend and the capture of his brothers during military operations earlier this year. This girlfriend, known by the nickname “Lorena,” had been with him since 2021 and had given birth to his child.
An anonymous military officer mentioned that they anticipated retaliation from Mordisco’s group following these events, noting that he might have been incapacitated before orchestrating these recent acts of violence.
The Commander-in-Chief of the Colombian Armed Forces remarked that the uptick in terrorist activities is a direct retaliation against military measures that have undermined FARC’s criminal structure in recent months.
In light of the escalating violence, the U.S. Embassy in Colombia issued a security alert, advising against travel to the Cauca and Valle del Cauca regions due to threats of violent crime and the presence of terrorist groups, underscoring the potential risks involved.
