The US officially removes the FARC from its list of terrorist groups

The US State Department announced on Tuesday the withdrawal of the defunct FARC guerrillas from its black list of terrorist groups, of which it had been a part since 1997, by ensuring that “it no longer exists as a unified organization.”

“After the Peace Agreement with the Colombian government, the FARC formally dissolved and disarmed. They no longer exist as a unified organization that is involved in terrorism, in terrorist activities, or has the capacity or intention to do so,” said the secretary. of State, Antony Blinken, in a statement.

The decision comes shortly after the fifth anniversary of the signing of the peace agreement between that guerrilla group and the Government of Juan Manuel Santos (2010-2018).

The State Department clarified, however, that the decision does not eliminate charges in the US for drug trafficking and other crimes that exist or may arise in the future against former members of the FARC.

Blinken stressed that this decision seeks to strengthen Washington’s capacity to “better support the implementation of the 2016 agreements, including in the work with demobilized combatants.”

The statement also indicated that it has included two associated groups on the list of terrorist organizations: the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, the People’s Army (FARC-EP) and the group Segunda Marquetalia.

And to the leaders of those groups: Luciano Marín Arango, Hernán Dario Velásquez Saldarriaga, Henry Castellanos Garzón, Néstor Gregorio Vera Fernández, Miguel Santanilla Botache, and Euclides España Caicedo.

The FARC was included in that US list of terrorist organizations in 1997.

As a result, its members were prohibited from entering the United States, and their access to the international financial system, based on the dollar, was restricted, among other punitive actions. (I)