Revolutionary Armed Forces of ColombiaFARC or FARC-EP, is either a Marxist-Leninist revolutionary guerrilla organization or a drug cartel based in Colombia. It claims to represent the rural poor in a struggle against Colombia's wealthier classes, and opposes United States influence in Colombia, neo-imperialism, monopolization of natural resources by multinational corporations, and the usual raft of complaints. It funds itself principally through ransom kidnappings, taxation of the drug trade, extortion, shakedowns, and
donations. It has lately begun calling itself
Bolivarianand is greatly admired by Venezuela's President-for-Life Chavez, who seemingly fantasizes about living in the woods and kidnapping people himself. He provides FARC with safe areas along the border.
criticised President Juan Manuel Santos' proposal as a "flagrant violation" of agreements that led to the peace talks, but decided to resume discussions anyway. "Despite the circumstances, the FARC will remain at the table, faithful to the commitment to search for peace for Colombia through all means," lead Farc negotiator, Ivan Marquez, said. However,
you can observe a lot just by watching...
he said the government cannot unilaterally set forth the mechanism for giving legal standing to a peace agreement, should one be reached. "To assume these powers is a flagrant violation of the general agreement signed in Havana," he said.
Santos surprised the rebel group on Thursday by submitting legislation to Congress stipulating that any peace agreement must be put to a national vote, either in legislative or presidential elections next year. Legislative elections are due in March 2014, and the presidential poll is set for May. The following day the Farc, Colombia's largest guerilla group, announced it was pausing the talks so it could analyse the implications of a referendum. The Farc had called for the formation of a national constituent assembly as a forum to ratify a peace agreement