The FARC executed one of their commanders for questioning the future of the rebels’ armed struggle, says the commander of Colombia’s armed forces.
The guerrilla, known as “El Sordo” or “Lucho”, was third in command of the Gabriel Galvis Column. He was shot by his peers after claiming that the FARC has no future, Admiral Edgar Cely Nuñez told news site ABC.es.
Nuñez added that troops found the body at a rebel camp in the Cauca department. The victim “was chained, he had chains around his neck, hands and feet.”
The guerrilla leader was recruited by the guerrillas at the age of 7, and held a high-ranking position within the group, the commander stated.
According to Nuñez, the FARC leader was subjected to a “war council” made up of 32 rebels, of which 28 voted for the execution of “El Sordo” while four wanted to give him “another chance”, the Colombian official said.
“His companions did not forgive him the fatal error of saying ‘the FARC has no future’,” Nuñez stated.
The FARC have suffered a number of setbacks in recent years, losing four members of its ruling Secretariat since March 2008. Most recently, in September, the rebels’ military commander “Mono Jojoy” was killed in an armed forces bombing raid.
The Colombian government described the death as a massive blow to the FARC, and President Juan Manuel Santos said “this is the beginning of the end of 40 years of war in Colombia.”