Colombia’s FARC Rebels Laid Down Weapons. Winning Votes Is Harder.

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Colombia’s FARC rebel group turned into a political party that has adopted a new name, but it is struggling to distance itself from a violent past

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BOGOTÁ, Colombia—Before the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia put down its weapons and transformed itself into a political movement, the rebel group terrorized the country for decades with kidnappings, extortion, and attacks on small towns. Now it is struggling to remake its image and win votes.

Martín Cruz, a 62-year-old former commander who joined FARC when he was 14, has been trying to attract new, younger members and persuade the Colombian public that the rebels-turned-politicians have not only left their violent past behind, but have a vision for the country’s future. The party is run by Rodrigo Londoño, who had long served as the rebels’ supreme commander.

“There’s still a lot of stigma around us,” said Mr. Cruz, who once ran clandestine jungle radio stations. He has swapped his battle fatigues for a gray sports jacket, and now has an office in a discreet brick house in central Bogotá. So far, progress has been slow. Though the former rebels hold nine spots in Colombia’s congress, those seats were granted to them through the peace pact, no votes needed. Those who did run for congress in 2018 were trounced, receiving just 0.34% of the overall vote.

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Terrorist group, criminals but never a rebel group.

Well hey, why not? How is that much different from the evolution of modern American politics?

I did my research and I must confess, no one handles business like you do sir gigsfrid it my privilege to work with you.

They should do as the FMLN did in El Salvador and sell out and become just like ARENA the right-wing party. That way the people get screwed no matter what. Who needs political integrity? /s

That’s because people in Colombia don forget all the atrocities they did and they haven’t paid for.

Why was Trump banned?

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