A former reporter for RCN, who had close contact with Raúl Reyes,
revealed Thursday she had been working for U.S. intelligence agencies and that
the three U.S. contract workers in fact were CIA agents.
Former journalist Olga Cecilia Vega Cubillos is wanted by Colombian authorities for allegedly having been Raúl Reyes’ lover. In interviews with both U.S. daily El Nuevo Herald and Colombian magazine Cambio she denies this and says her relationship with the slain FARC‘s number two was professional.
According to Vega, she was mediating between Reyes and U.S. authorities to seek the liberation of the three U.S. hostages in exchange for improved conditions for Simon Trinidad, the FARC leader who was imprisoned in the U.S.
Vega is certain that the Americans were CIA agents and not just contract workers as authorities and the former hostages themselves always claimed.
“During the mediation process and when I was in Washington it was clear to me they were and that the CIA chief in Bogotá was very worried about his men,” she told El Nuevo Herald.
According to the former journalist — who is about to publish a book about her ordeal — Raúl Reyes betrayed his comrad Simon Trinidad on two occasions. Trinidad replaced Reyes to go to a conference in Quito, because reyes had received information he would be arrested if he went, which was exactly what happened to Trinidad.
Also, Reyes never told other members of the FARC’s secretariat about the deal U.S. authorities were offering. Trinidad would receive better treatment in U.S. prisons if the FARC would release proof of life of the Americans.
After Colombian intelligence mistook Vega’s contact with Reyes for a love affair, the former journalist went in hiding. According to her, she had been offered 5 million dollars for her mediation efforts by the U.S.
“The only thing I asked for my humanitarian mediation to get the proof of life was a white horse. I love horses. They all laughed at me, but never gave me the horse. I am still waiting,” Vega said.
