The Dutch FARC guerrilla, Tanja Nijmeijer, who joined Colombia’s largest left-wing insurgency more than twelve years ago, claimed she was proud of her work with the rebels.
“I don’t have any regrets about joining. I didn’t choose to use violence. I chose to do politics in a country where doing politics implies violence.”
Teaching English in central Colombia at the end of the 1990s, Nijmeijer was deeply affected by the poverty and violence she witnessed.
The fact that she could face up to 60 years in prison as she is wanted by both the United States government and Colombia did not phase her.
“I don’t think about that,” she smiled.