Farc Rebels Kill Colombian Governor in Bold Commando Raid

Strategic Insights -

The Farc rebels in Colombia have committed a brutal atrocity by killing a provincial governor, Luis Francisco Cuellar, just hours after kidnapping him from his home in Florencia, the capital of Caqueta province. According to local officials, the suspected members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc) blasted the door down with explosives, taking Cuellar from his home in the early hours of Monday night.

The acting Caqueta governor, Patricia Vega, revealed that Cuellar's body was found hours later in a rural area, reportedly with gunshot wounds and wearing a belt of explosives. The Farc has yet to issue a statement, and officials claim that information from peasants led troops to the body after President Alvaro Uribe had offered a $500,000 reward for information.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Farc rebels in Colombia have committed a brutal atrocity by killing a provincial governor, Luis Francisco Cuellar, just hours after kidnapping him.
  • Cuellar's family had been under threat, and the authorities had received indications that Farc planned an attack.
  • Caqueta has been racked by violence and kidnappings for decades, with Cuellar himself having been held for ransom four previous times.
  • The Farc rebels have 24 soldiers and police officers as hostages, but are preparing to release two of the soldiers and the body of a third.
  • The Colombian government's "democratic security" policies have led to a sharp decline in kidnappings, from 3,029 in 2001 to 172 in the first 10 months of 2009.
  • The Farc rebels once boasted more than 20,000 fighters but have experienced a series of setbacks over the past few years, with some analysts warning of a potential upsurge in rebel attacks.
  • President Alvaro Uribe has ordered his generals to rescue all the hostages, but families of the 24 hostages are fearful that a military rescue could lead to their loved ones being killed.

Statistics:

  • 3,029 kidnappings in 2001
  • 172 kidnappings in the first 10 months of 2009
  • $500,000 (pounds 313,000) reward offered by President Alvaro Uribe for information leading to the rescue of the hostages
  • 24 soldiers and police officers being held hostage by the Farc rebels
  • 2 soldiers the Farc is preparing to release
  • $700m in annual US military aid to Colombia

Sources:

  • Clad in his pyjamas, Luis Francisco Cuellar was taken from his home in Florencia, capital of Caqueta province, on Monday night after at least eight suspected members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc) blasted the door down with explosives, according to local officials. (The Guardian)
  • Officials said information from peasants led troops to the body after President Alvaro Uribe had offered a $500,000 (pounds 313,000) reward for information. (The Guardian)
  • Caqueta was also where the French-Colombian presidential candidate, Ingrid Betancourt, was kidnapped in 2002 as part high-profile abductions the rebels had hoped to use to negotiate with the government. (The Guardian)
  • Kidnappings have dropped sharply from an all-time high in 2001 of 3,029 to 172 in the first 10 months of 2009 under the hardline "democratic security" policies of the Uribe government. (The Guardian)
  • The Farc group had said it was preparing to release two of the soldiers and the body of a third now dead, possibly before the new year. (The Guardian)
  • "Who can believe in those bandits? Let's not wait for acts of generosity from terrorists," Uribe said. (The Guardian)
  • But families of the 24 hostages asked the president to reconsider his order for a military rescue, fearing for the lives of their loved ones. (The Guardian)
  • The Farc once boasted more than 20,000 fighters, and has experienced a series of setbacks over the past few years but some analysts warn that the guerrillas are regrouping and that Colombia could see an upsurge in rebel attacks. (The Guardian)