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One of the news of the year 2020 was the recognition that the former FARC commanders made of their alleged responsibility in the murder of conservative leader Álvaro Gómez Hurtado and five other people.
(It may interest you: Exclusive: revelations of the confidential report on the Farc kidnappings)
To clarify these crimes, the Special Jurisdiction for Peace (JEP) – in charge of investigating and trying the members of the defunct guerrilla – summoned Rodrigo Londoño (‘Timochenko’), the head of the Communes Party, created after the passage from the Farc from arms to politics.
(Also read: The new evidence ordered by the Prosecutor’s Office in the case of Gómez Hurtado)
Londoño, who is the top leader of the former Secretariat that is still alive, will have to tell the Reconnaissance Chamber what he knows about the murder of Gómez Hurtado, committed in November 1995. Likewise, he will have to clarify the homicides of Hernando Pizarro Leongómez, José Fedor Rey, Jesús Antonio Bejarano, General (r) Fernando Landazábal Reyes and Pablo Emilio Guarín.
(In context: The story of the six murders recognized by the Farc)
The diligence was carried out virtually on Wednesday, February 10, 2021.
Magistrate Nadiezhda Natazha Henríquez Chacín, president of the Chamber, reminded Londoño at the beginning of the diligence that he must provide detailed, complete and exhaustive truth, and that in addition to providing all the elements he knows about the murders, it is necessary to give elements of context about them.
Before answering the questions posed by the magistracy, ‘Timochenko’ reiterated his will to comply with what was agreed in the peace agreement and tell the truth about the facts.
Rodrigo Londoño recalled that he entered the FARC Secretariat in 1986, after Jaime Guaracas began to present health complications that prevented him from performing his duties.
According to the leader of the Comunes party, he does not remember that the decision to assassinate political leaders was discussed in plenary session within the secretariat, as in the case of Álvaro Gómez. However, he recognized that at some point, At the beginning of the peace negotiations, an attempt on the life of President Juan Manuel Santos was proposed, but it was ruled out because “it was not ethical.” attack a person with whom they were initiating a process.
Regarding the operation of the Antonio Nariño Urban Network (Ruan), which according to the FARC was responsible for executing the attack against the conservative leader, ‘Timochenko’ said that the compartmentalisation was so high that very few people knew of his actions. In fact, the appearing party said, he came to find out how Ruan operated only when Julián Gallo went to the JEP on December 10.
(In context: The three senior FARC commanders that Lozada linked in the Gómez Hurtado case)
When questioned about the murder of Álvaro Gómez Hurtado, Londoño assured that, from the beginning, they considered the politician as an enemy, who instigated the bombardment of Marquetalia, when the FARC were just forming.
Despite the fact that Gómez Hurtado’s family has questioned the FARC’s version and has assured that they do not believe the former members of the Secretariat, ‘Timochenko’ assured that it is “extremely painful” for him to admit that his organization committed an act with so many consequences in the political life of the country, and said there is no reason for the ex-guerrillas to falsely incriminate themselves the responsibility of the assassination.
Although the magistrate Julieta Lemaitre questioned whether there was any evidence or source, such as the computers seized from the Farc or any witness that would allow the Farc’s version to be ratified, Rodrigo Londoño assured that, for the moment, he has no information in this regard.
In turn, the auxiliary magistrate Farid Samir Benavides asked if it was not possible that an alliance between the former president of the Republic Ernesto Samper and Manuel Marulanda, the top head of the Secretariat at the time, had been presented to end the life of Álvaro Gómez. According to ‘Timochenko’, who said that he did not participate in the discussion in which it was decided to attack the conservative leader, that alliance was not presented, and the reason for assassinating Gómez Hurtado was restricted to “collecting an account.”
For his part, the delegate of the Attorney General’s Office, Jairo Acosta, asked if there was any relationship between the Farc and other illegal armed groups, or even the Public Force, for the execution of the murder of Gómez Hurtado. ‘Timochenko’ categorically denied this possibility and assured that it was an act committed and planned only by the FARC.
One of the central points around the assassination is why the FARC did not assume their responsibility when the event occurred, but 25 years later. Faced with that question, Rodrigo Londoño assured that it was an order from Manuel Marulanda, and that what they tried to do was create contradictions in the country’s political scene to affect him.
The leader of the Comunes party recounted how he learned, a few days later, of the murder of Álvaro Gómez: “At the Secretariat we had communication. Jorge Briceño (the ‘Mono Jojoy’) spent part of the action carried out by ‘Carlos Lozada’. Marulanda he directed us to leave that in silence, not to claim it. “
News in development …
JUSTICE
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