In the FARC mountains: Marquetalia, Colombia

The Colombian mountain territory of Marquetalia was declared an autonomous republic by the “Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia”, or FARC, in 1948. FARC co-founder Jacobo Arenas, surviving the government invasion of Marquetalia, wrote a book called “Diario de la resistencia de Marquetalia” (“Marquetalia Diary”) in 1972. There haven’t been any foreign tourists for almost 60 years. The Republic of Marquetalia still has a mythical touch for the Colombian “freedom fighters”, who became infamous worldwide because of their hostage abductions and killings, but who are now accepted as a political party within the peace & reconciliation process in Colombia (after the Havana Declaration in 2016). FARC are estimated to be responsible for ca. 20% of the 450.000 deaths in the Colombian Conflict and are still legally considered a terrorist organisation by most of the Western world.

As a Libertarian economist I have no sympathy for their Marxist-Leninist views, but I understand the need for a better representation of the indigenous Colombian peoples versus the various foreign Conquistadores. In any case, all parties in this conflict are just pawns in the game for higher geo-strategic goals by the West, mainly control over the Panama Canal (for which Colombia was divided by the US into two countries with the connecting roads purposely abandoned in the Darien Gap) …

“The US intent to influence the area, especially the Panama Canal’s construction and control, led to the separation of Panama from Colombia in 1903 and its establishment as a nation.” Wikipedia Panama

… later as proxies in the Cold War, and now for the so-called War on Drugs, which is essentially just a covert operation FOR the secret peddling of drugs, in order to finance illegitimate Western government activities, from foreign regime changes, to reptile funds for corruption, to local “strategy of tension” warfare, to police state surveillance, to filling & running profitable private prisons in the USA, and so on.

Anyhow, nowadays the FARC are renamed “Fuerza Alternativa Revolucionaria del Comun” and enjoy the status of a political party. Picture with FARC leader and book author Martin Cruz Vega, formerly known as “Rubin Morro” and responsible for laying down the FARC arsenal of military arms, next to him our trip organiser Jack Goldstein, and my travel buddy Thorsten Salaske (left to right).

The trip was part of the ETIC “Peace Road to Marquetalia”, protected by the Head of the United Nations Verification Mission, Carlos Ruiz Massieu, and made possible by my well-connected friend Jack Goldstein who runs the Lancaster House Hotel in Bogota.

The location of the former “Independent Republics” of Colombia. Initially a 10 hour drive south-west from Colombia’s capital Bogota. Map Source

Trooper giving the traditional thumbs up that the road is cleared of FARC 😉 Our road escort was a beautiful cooperation of FARC, the Military and the Police, now working peacefully together.

Thanks to Bataillons 18 and 19 for securing the area.

In El Oso, the small government supported center for the former FARC fighters. This little village will be developed as a tourist destination. No hotels yet. Slept in a tent.

The spirit of a revolution which will hopefully only ever stick on murals.

Two hours in old UAZ jeeps

On mud roads up to the village of Villanueva.

Then on horseback

Small reminder why I go by the name “Gentleman Adventurer” 😉

Hiking in sometimes steep and slippery conditions up and down to Marquetalia

Always protected by the friendly Bataillon 18

With their fierce fighting dogs

Plus UN team leader Enrique Sanchez with his drone

Through the most beautiful landscapes

Until we reached the hidden mountain plateau of Marquetalia, the founding place of FARC

Where the former rebels set up tents which covered us from the occasional pouring rain

And looked after us with excellent food

Around a campfire where rebel stories where shared

A happy “Danger Zone” team (Per Besson, Thorsten Salaske, Kolja Spöri)

Part of the government helicopters, shot down by FARC during Operation Marquetalia in 1964.

With Tanja Nijmeijer, Dutch national, the most visible foreign face of FARC, part of Havana negotiation team

With Miguel Angel Pascuas, aka “Sergeant Pascuas”, aka “Black Death”, one of the two remaining original founders of FARC (he was also full of joy to access Marquetalia for the first time in more than 5o years)

With Martin Cruz Vega, aka “Rubin Morro”, FARC commander and sole person in charge of turning in FARC´s arsenal over to UN

With Miguela Angel Pascuas (left), and Rodrigo Granda, FARC´s “foreign minister” and member of Havana negotiation team

With FARC Senator Judith Simanca Herrera, aka “Victoria Sandina Palmera”

With current FARC Nr. 1, Rodrigo Londoño Echeverri, aka “Timoleon Jimenez”, aka “Timochenko”

Our trip received quite a bit of media attention

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FLASHBACK

The two best known books about FARC captives, who were freed in Operation Jacque, after several years in captivity:

Marc Gonsalves et al.: Out of Captivity

Ingrid Betancourt: Even Silence has an End

Ingrid Betancourt’s book is usually seen quite critically:

“In their book titled Out of Captivity, American Northrop Grumman contractors Marc Gonsalves, Keith Stansell, and Thomas Howes, all of whom spent time as hostages with Betancourt, described her behavior while a captive of FARC as selfish, as was her belief she deserved better treatment than the other captives due to her political and social standing. The Americans, held captive by the FARC from 2003 to 2008, stated that throughout their captivity Betancourt claimed and took more than her fair share of scarce food, clothing, and personal space.[73] Stansell said, “I can get over just about anything, but I don’t know about Ingrid. Forgive? Yes. Move on? Yes. Respect? No.” Marc Gonsalves has defended Betancourt, and stated: “For me she is a courageous person, she behaved like only heroes do, this is why I am so hurt with Keith’s attacks.” Source: Wikipedia

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The most interesting trip in my life. Thanks to Jack Goldstein and Martin Cruz Vega!!

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[Fotos: Sandy Cohen, Phillips Connor, Jimmy Gerum, Mike Kendall, Thorsten Salaske, Randy Segler, own]