Colombia: Former FARC 2nd leader announces rearmament

By Beyza Binnur Donmez

ANKARA (AA) - The former second in command of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) announced the rebel group's rearmament in a video message on Wednesday.

Ivan Marquez, whose whereabouts have been unknown for more than a year, resurfaced in the video in front of 20 armed former guerrillas to announce the "beginning of the new stage of armed struggle".

"We announce to the world that the second Marquetalia [birthplace of the FARC in 1964] has begun under the protection of universal law that applies to all peoples of the world to take up arms against oppression," Marquez said.

"We recognize that we incurred several errors," he added, referring to the group laying down its weapons in the aftermath of a recent agreement with the Colombian government.

Marquez added that since the peace deal, more than 500 leaders and 150 guerrillas of the movement have been killed in the two years that followed.

It is unknown where the video was recorded.

Colombia and FARC reached a peace deal in November 2016, ending more than 50 years of conflict between the two sides. Following the demobilization of the leftist rebel group, Marquez and Jesus Santrich joined the political arm of the FARC, which is represented in the country’s Congress.

Marquez went missing last year after his nephew was arrested for drug-trafficking, while Santrich is currently a fugitive following his failure to appear for questioning in a U.S. drug-trafficking case.