Report discloses Chávez-Colombian guerrilla relationship

Photo of Raúl Reyes, a leader of the Colombian Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARC) (File photo: Luis Giusti)

Diplomacy
Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez seemingly promised Colombian guerrillas in 2007 a "USD 300 million aid" which was not accomplished, as appears from a review of Raúl Reyes' computer files recently released in London.

The report prepared by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) based in the United Kingdom contends that, for valuable consideration, the Colombian Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARC) would give security support to the Venezuelan government following the failed coup d'état in 2002, AFP quoted.

The research also disclosed that the inauguration of Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa meant a "climax" for the FARC after making their best endeavors for years to infiltrate into Ecuador. Correa presumably "accepted" a "USD 400,000" contribution from the guerrillas for his presidential campaign.

Nevertheless, they never enjoyed the same "state support" in Ecuador as in Venezuela, the IISS, a private think-tank specialized in strategic affairs, concluded in his report "The FARC Files: Venezuela, Ecuador and the Secret Archive of  'Raúl Reyes.'"

The 240-page report is the result of a two-year study of the e-mails and strategic documents found in three computers, two hard drives and three USB flash drives recovered by the Colombian security forces during a raid on a FARC camp, where Reyes was killed on March 2008.

While the files were delivered to the IISS by the Colombian government after Interpol checked and confirmed their authenticity, the think-tank advocated "independence of its review" of the materials.

The report, focused on the relationship of the FARC with neighboring countries, claims that Colombian guerrillas arrived in Venezuela well ahead of President Hugo Chávez. However, the link presumably got stronger after his inauguration in 1999. "As early as 2000, Chávez had the clear intention to supply them financial support to an extent estimated to disturb Colombia's strategic balance," the IISS said. Also, President Chávez would allow the guerrillas to use the Venezuelan territory with "minor restrictions."

Following the coup attempt which almost toppled President Chávez in 2002, the Venezuelan president set a strategy to counter any renewed attempt that may arise or the potential deployment of US troops. In this way, the FARC were assigned a new role.
The Colombian guerrillas provided "training in guerrilla and urban war to defend the Bolivarian revolution," said Nigel Inkster, the Director of Transnational Threats and Political Risk at the IISS.

According to him, the files also made "tempting suggestions, but eventually without concrete evidence, that the FARC, operating for and by the Venezuelan State, could have been perpetrated killings of Chávez's political opponents."

Relations cooled off. However, the Venezuelan president commenced rapprochement in 2006-2007, when he vowed to give the FARC "a USD 300 million aid." But Chávez did not keep his promise; making instead "some smaller transfers."

Translated by Conchita Delgado