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A FORMER leader of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), who rearmed following the 2016 peace agreement between the guerilla group and the government, has reportedly been killed in Venezuela.
According to Colombian media, Hernan Dario Velasquez, known as El Paisa, was killed in an attack by mercenaries seeking to get a reward for his capture.
The killing took place in the state of Apure near the Venezuelan border with Colombia.
Neither nation has responded to the reports, but the El Tiempo newspaper cited high-level sources who denied that the Colombian government was involved.
Colombian President Ivan Duque has previously accused Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro of sheltering and protecting Farc dissidents, but Caracas has repeatedly denied the claims.
Last week, the United States lifted its designation of the Marxist group as a “terrorist organisation,” while adding two splinter groups — Segunda Marquetalia and Farc-EP.
In 2018, El Paisa helped form Segunda Marquetalia and declared that he was taking up arms once more.
The group’s commander Ivan Marquez said last week that Colombia’s government should hold talks with all armed groups to seek “complete peace” for the country.
