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The FARC-EP claims that it represents the rural poor against Colombia's wealthy classes and opposes the United States influence in Colombia (particularly, but not limited to, Plan Colombia), the privatization of natural resources, multinational corporations, and rightwing paramilitary violence.
Critics of the FARC-EP often characterize the group as a terrorist organization. There is strong evidence that it, like the right-wing paramilitary groups that the Colombian government and military have been closely affiliated with (e.g. AUC), has attacked and kidnapped civilian targets and also frequently recruits children as soldiers and informants. The United States Department of State includes FARC on its list of foreign terrorist organizations, as does the European Union.
The FARC-EP has employed bombings, killings, landmines, kidnapping, extortion, hijacking, as well as guerrilla and conventional military action against Colombian political, military, and economic targets, and attacks on those it considers a threat to its movement (it has not been uncommon for civilians to die due to many of these actions). In March 1999, the FARC-EP killed three United States Indian rights activists on Venezuelan territory after kidnapping them in Colombia. The FARC-EP is responsible for most of the ransom kidnappings in Colombia; the group targets wealthy landowners, foreign tourists, and prominent international and domestic officials. The FARC is believed to have ties to narcotics traffickers, principally through the provision of armed protection. Brazilian druglord Fernandinho Beira-Mar was captured in Colombia on April 20-21, 2001 while in the company of FARC-EP guerrillas. Colombian and Brazilian authorities have claimed that this constitutes proof of further cooperation between the FARC-EP and the druglord based on the exchange of weapons for cocaine, though Fernandinho himself and the FARC-EP have denied this. FARC itself has claimed that in their areas of influence the growth of coca plants (which while an enduring tradition in one form or another for centuries in the Colombian countryside for minority groups and especially by some of the indigenous communities, it had never reached its contemporary levels of plantation) by farmers would be taxed on the same basis as any other crop, even though there would be higher cash profits stemming from coca production and exportation.
On September 4, 19961996 was a leap year starting on Monday (see link for calendar), and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty''. Events January January 5 Hamas operative Yahya Ayyash is killed by an Israeli-planted booby-trapped cell phone Jan the FARC-EP attacked a military base in GuaviareGuaviare is a department of Colombia. It is in the southern central region of the country. Its capital is San Jose del Guaviare. Municipalities # Calamar # El Retorno # Miraflores # San Jose del Guaviare., Colombia which started three weeks of guerrilla warfare that claimed the lives of at least 130 Colombians.
In 19981998 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar), and was designated the International Year of the Ocean''. Events January January 1998 A massive ice storm, caused by El Nino, strikes New England, southern Ontario and Quebec, resulting, Colombian President Andrés Pastrana ArangoAndres Pastrana Arango (born August 17, 1954) was the President of Colombia from 1998 to 2002, following in the footsteps of his father, Misael Pastrana Borrero, who was president from 1970 to 1974. During his father's rule, he was a student with a reputa granted FARC a 42,000 square kilometer safe haven which was the FARC-EP condition for beginning peace talks. The peace process with the government continued at a slow pace for three years during which the BBCThe British Broadcasting Corporation BBC is primarily a national publicly-funded broadcaster based in the United Kingdom, which also has some international services. Some of the international services (such as BBC cable TV in America, Canada and elsewhere and other news organizations reported that the FARC-EP also used the safe haven to import arms, export drugs, recruit minors, and build up their military. After a series of high-profile actions, including the kidnapping of a Colombian presidential candidate, Ingrid BetancourtIngrid Betancourt Pulecio (born December 25 1961 in Bogota) is a Colombian senator and anti- corruption activist. On February 23, 2002 Ingrid Betancourt was kidnapped by the FARC when campaigning for presidency. Early Life Her mother, Yolanda Pulecio, was (who was traveling in guerrilla territory) and other political figures, Pastrana ended the peace talks in February 20022002 is a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). 2002 was the first palindromic year since 1991 and the last until 2112. 2002 was also designated: International Year of Ecotourism and Mountains National Science Year in the United Kingdom and ordered Colombian forces to start retaking the FARC-controlled zone after a 48-hour respite that had been previously agreed to with the rebel group.