Page 12 - ARUBA TODAY

A12 WORLD NEWS
Wednesday 14 June 2017

FARC’s elusive finances undercut support for Colombia peace

By ALBA TOBELLA pensation of the rebels’ movement. same zeal going after oth- more than the $1 million
Associated Press victims. Assets that aren’t The FARC was quick to er political actors with their in state funding that it, like
BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — itemized can be seized strike back, accusing Mar- own ties to illegal armed other political movements,
As Colombia’s leftist rebel down the road and any- tinez of being an enemy of groups and drug-traffick- is entitled to receive as a
movement begins making one involved in conceal- the peace accord aimed ing organizations. result of the peace deal.
its transition to a political Indeed, Colombian of- Any solid evidence of
party, a crucial question ficials have a long history the FARC hiding its riches
hangs over the process: of conspiring with crimi- is bound to antagonize
how much money is it hid- nals, dating back at least Colombians who still dis-
ing? to cocaine kingpin Pablo trust the rebels. The FARC
Chief prosecutor Nestor Escobar’s purchase of poli- only yielded to pressure
Martinez rocked the nation ticians in the 1980s. Doz- to make the inventory of
last week by saying he has ens of lawmakers have its assets after the original
compiled evidence that been imprisoned over the peace accord was nar-
the Revolutionary Armed past decade for financial rowly defeated in a nation-
Forces of Colombia is sit- ties to the FARC’s battle- wide referendum.
ting on an illegal fortune field enemies, right-wing Further angering the
worth hundreds of millions paramilitary groups.More peace accord’s many de-
of dollars, a political war In this Sept. 23, 2016 photo, rebel leaders Rodrigo Londono, cen- recently, President Juan tractors — and exposing
chest that outstrips the cof- ter, Ivan Marquez, right, and Pastor Alape, left, attend the clos- Manuel Santos’ re-election frictions within the govern-
ing event of the 10th conference of the Revolutionary Armed
fers of traditional parties. Forces of Colombia, FARC, in Yari Plains, Colombia. As Co- campaign as well as his ment — was Santos’ recent
He asserted that its assets, lombia’s leftist rebel movement begins making its transition to opponent in the 2014 race decree allowing some of
arising from the FARC’s a political party, chief prosecutor Nestor Martinez rocked the are under investigation for that wealth to fund devel-
involvement in the drug nation in June 2017, by saying he has compiled evidence that concealing millions of dol- opment projects, including
the FARC is sitting on an illegal fortune worth hundreds of mil-
trade as well as illegal min- lions of dollars, a political war chest that outstrips the coffers of lars in contributions and the creation of a FARC-led
ing and extortion, include traditional parties. payments from Brazilian institute to train political
everything from herds of (AP Photo/Ricardo Mazalan) construction giant Ode- leaders in areas it has long
cattle held in the name of ing them faces prosecu- at ending a half century of brecht in a still-unfolding dominated.
front men to offshore shell tion for money laundering violent conflict. scandal that threatens to “For the FARC, the sub-
companies.Martinez didn’t outside the generous terms Chief rebel negotiator Ivan discredit much of Colom- ject of money has always
list the specific proper- provided by the accord. Marquez posted a cari- bia’s political class. touched a nerve,” said
ties, but his statement ap- “That legend of Francis- cature of Martinez sitting Despite the rebels’ pledge Kyle Johnson, a Bogota-
peared aimed at corner- can poverty is about to down at a restaurant to to the contrary, analysts based analyst at the Inter-
ing the FARC as it faces end,” Martinez said, refer- eat a peace dove, while say that the FARC is count- national Crisis Group.
an Aug. 1 deadline to de- ring to the image the FARC FARC commander Rodrigo ing on its money to fund its “If it’s shown they have a
clare its war spoils, which has long cultivated since Londono suggested the takeoff as a political party. lot of wealth, it adds fuel to
the peace deal signed last its origins in the 1950s as a nation’s top law enforce- In the next campaign cy- the narrative that they are
year earmarks for com- peasant-led self-defense ment doesn’t show the cle, it’s likely to need far simply drug traffickers.”q
Ex-Panama leader fighting extradition from US in spying case

By GISELA SALOMON of the Central American ama sought the arrest of nessman who runs a su- cos Jimenez, who argued
Associated Press country from 2009-2014, Martinelli after he failed to permarket chain, denies that Martinelli, 65, is in poor
MIAMI (AP) — A former made his initial appear- show up at a December wrongdoing and has de- health and, if not released,
president of Panama ance before a federal 2015 court hearing there scribed the charges against should at least be kept
sought without success judge in Miami following to face charges stemming him as part of a political apart from other prisoners
Tuesday to be released his arrest on an extradition from his alleged creation of vendetta. He is seeking po- at the federal jail. The judge
from custody as he fights an warrant from Panama. U.S. what authorities described litical asylum in the U.S. directed that he receive
effort to send him from the Magistrate Judge Edwin as an extensive and illegal He was in hand-cuffs in any necessary medical at-
U.S. back to his homeland Torres, denying a request system to monitor phone court, but wore a beige tention and that he should
to face charges in a case for immediate release, set and other conversations of suit and stood calmly dur- remain isolated from the
of political espionage. a bond hearing for June 20. at least 150 people. ing the proceeding beside rest of the prisoners at least
Ricardo Martinelli, president The government of Pan- Martinelli, a wealthy busi- one of his lawyers, Mar- until his next hearing.q