Summary: The Revolutionary Armed Forces Of Colombia

Columbia is historically the most impacted nation of narco-terrorism. Columbia was first declared an independent nation after the fall of Gran Columbia along with Ecuador and Venezuela in 1830. As of July 2011, CIA World Factbook has estimated its population to be about 44,725,543. Columbia has 1,138,910 sq km of land, approximately three times the size of California. However, according to the CIA World Factbook it is estimated that only 2.1% of the land is arable, 1.37% is already used for permanent crops, and the rest of its 96% is used for “other” reasons. According to the 2008 World Drug Report, over 99,000 ha of Columbian land is used for cocaine cultivation. Due to its ongoing civil wars and weak democratic government, Columbia has become a haven for narco-terrorism. Insurgent groups such as the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), National Liberation Army (ELN), and United Self Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC) have been known rely on drug trafficking to carry out bombings, extortion, kidnapping, and assassination.

The FARC is Colombia’s largest terror group. The FARC was established in 1964. The FARC began with farmers and agricultural workers who abandoned their positions to fight inequalities in Colombia. The FARC revolves around a Marxist-Leninist ideology. The FARCs early establishment suffered losses within its organization due to consistent military raids conducted by the Columbian Forces in order to disrupt or destroy the group. As the fight continued, those losses changed the leadership constantly through the years. The FARC has adapted and overcame many obstacles as the Colombian Government continues its fight against the terror group. As the fight continued through the years, the FARCs ability to change their tactics and weapons advanced. With more powerful weapons through the years and their ability to become more organized, the FARCs ability to fight back became more powerful.

Currently, the president of Colombia is Juan Manuel Santos and the vice president is German Vargas LLeras. Throughout the 20th century, Colombia has had conflicts between paramilitary groups such as Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (F.A.R.C). According to Frank Safford, Colombia has suffered since the emerged of the paramilitary groups. These groups transport illegal drugs within the country and kidnap and extort to stay financially stable. Therefore, these actions encourage intensive violence in society and led the unrest of the country. The politics in Colombia have not been very pleased for the citizens, but every year quieter. Juan Manuel Santos is making programs to reach peace; however the results have not been submitted

Colombia was one of the three unique nations alongside Ecuador and Venezuela that rose up out of the breakdown of Gran Colombia in 1830. In the course of the most recent 40 years, there has been a battle to oust the legislature somewhat in light of the drug exchanges all through Colombia. The development does however need backing from military and backing from the essential impacts. Lately there have been difficulties for control of the regions all through Colombia furthermore for the drug exchange. The Spanish was landed with an expect to assume control and colonization and conveyed slaves alongside them from Africa. In view of these reasons Colombia is perceived as expanded ethnics and social nation where every locale

The United States Department of State classifies 58 different organizations as foreign terrorist organizations (US DOS). Of those 58 FTOs only one is located in South America, and none are located in Mexico. Despite the lack of official FTOs in Mexico, non-state violence is at an all-time high and the country is more dangerous than ever. This is because of the presence and prevalence of drug cartels throughout the country. These drug cartels employ violent tactics as part of their drug trafficking network. But these cartels are more than just criminal organizations. The scope of the violence, the fear they instill in the population, and the influence they have on policy shows that these organizations should be considered as more than petty criminals trying to make money. While economic gain remains one of the main goals of these groups, there is much that falls under the umbrella of terrorism.

Colombia is located in the northern region of South America, between Venezuela and Panama. It is almost twice the size of Texas and consists of "flat coastal lowlands, central highlands, high Andes Mountains, and eastern lowland plains" (CIA). Half of the land is forested and a third is used for agriculture; this country has plenty of natural resources and exports the most coal in South America. Climate is cooler in the uplands yet tropical eastern (CIA). Galeras, one of the country’s active volcanoes, erupted in 2009 and 2010.

The capital of my country (Colombia) is Bogota.the names and locations of 3 other important cities are Cali, Armenia, and ibague. Cali is located in the northeast, Armenia is located in the southern Caucasus, and Ibague which is located in the center of the country near the mountain range of colombian andes near Nevado del Tolima. Bogota once called bacata by the Muiscas, had been the center of the muiscas population before the spanish took over. Bogota was put as the capital of Gran colombia, coming territories of modern panamá, Colombia, Venezuela, and Ecuador.The third largest city in colombia is cali.

Colombia, which is the 28th largest country in the world, is the second largest country in South America, and has more than 46 million people living there. It is also the third largest Spanish-speaking country in the world (US). “Colombia is situated in South America, bordered by Panama, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela, Brazil, the Caribbean, and the Pacific Ocean” (Colombia Weather). Between the Caribbean and the Pacific, the country has the most bio diverse land, which includes the Rainforest and the Andes mountains (US). Three ranges of the Andes Mountains run through Colombia, and it ends in the lower places of the Caribbean. There are marshes and rugged mountains along the southern Pacific coast. The east of the southwestern lowlands

The main purpose of the FARC's existence is rooted in political persecution. The members of FARC, similar to their origins, consist of poor rural peasants. FARC is classified as a guerrilla group or a violent, non-state actor, however the United States has listed them as a foreign terrorist organization (Bureau of Counterterrorism, 2017). Colombian authorities have also alluded the FARC as a terrorist organization, or a band of criminals. FARC makes up to 600 million dollars per years in profits from drug trafficking, extortion, kidnapping, and other criminal acts. FARC is considered to be the third wealthiest terrorist group in the world. FARC dominated a large territory throughout Colombia, especially in the rural areas and the

1.1. The United States (US) must continue to expand collaboration efforts across the Americas to support democratic consolidation, deter drug trafficking, counter insurgency and counter organized crime (NSS, 2015). As the current political crisis between the Inspector General and the Bogota Mayor unwinds, it is highly likely that all of these efforts will come into play to keep Colombia on a path toward peace and stability. As such, we must support the resolution of longstanding regional conflicts, particularly Columbia’s peace discussions with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia or FARC (NSS, 2015). The FARC has been many things over the years and has evolved into a drug trafficking insurgency. Although the FARC is far from Colombia’s domestic only problem, their assimilation into society or elimination all together will allow the country to continue to strengthen as a democracy. The US is obligated to conduct Stability and Counterinsurgency Operations and conduct limited stability operations when required, working with interagency, coalition, and host-nation forces in a whole of government approach to assist Colombia in the current situation (NSS, 2015). Such efforts emphasize unique elements of American DoS and DoD forces: civil- military affairs teams, building partner capacity, information support teams, and cultural outreach programs.

Music is the way that I and millions of people around the world express our emotions. Many people do not feel comfortable talking about their problems, but music is a way for them to release whatever they are feeling inside. Throughout this paper, I will be discussing the history, culture, and music of the country of Colombia. The diversity and uniqueness of Colombia as a country is reflected through the music and culture. Music in Colombia is imbedded into its heritage and it’s important to the nation’s identity.

Colombia’s FARC: A Portrait of Insurgent Intelligence by Gentry and Spencer looks in great detail of the insurgent group known as FARC . The article aims to view how groups FARC uses its intelligence services and groups like FARC. The article also goes into great detail on the history of FARC. The authors say that the groups military intelligence is fairly good but

Historically, the relations between U.S and Colombia have been marked the foreign policy and the international trade. Nevertheless, the civil war in Colombia have shifted this relation. In Colombia, the establishment of The Revolutionary Forces of Colombia (FARC) and the leftist National Liberation Army (ELN) during the 1960s created the beginning of an era of terrorist and drug trafficking. The FARC began forming in 1966 inspired by the Cuban Revolution with a left-wing nationalism and Marxism-Leninism. FARC’s actions trough the history has been involved with terrorist against of the population in Colombia. As well, thousands of peasant farmers that have been obligated to produce illicit drugs in their own properties controlled by the guerrillas. Nowadays, the FARC has been the largest and oldest insurgent group in the Americas. The FARC has been roundly criticized for initiating

“FARC began as a rural movement, but has gradually driven into bases deep inside Colombia’s near-impenetrable jungles, some of which are almost the size of Switzerland” (O’Keeffe 2). The Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia is Colombia’s oldest and largest Marxist insurgency. Their ideology is Bolivarianism, meaning that they believe in social protection for the lower classes.

The drug trade boom that took place in the late 1970s and early 1980s provided great financial assistance needed in-order to maintain its combative needs for supplies such as weapons and technology to better equip their troops. The FARCs control of the rich coca-growing regions served as one of the largest resources of income. Between the actual production of coca-paste and the taxation they implemented upon other growers in their controlled territory, the FARC produced an average of $60-$100 million in annual revenue through the illegal substance. Simply eradicating the coca crops will not be enough to stop the cocaine trade, and taking away farmers’ ability to earn a living in this way serves only to increase support for armed groups that protect the coca farmers. In addition with the drug trade, the FARC have adopted the tactic of kidnapping to their resume. Though the FARC has kidnapped for ransom kidnapping became an integral part of the group’s revenue starting in the 1970s. Reaching its peak in the year of 2000, there were roughly 3,572 reported abductions and an unknown amount of non-reported kidnappings. Averaging nearly 8 abductions a day, the number in the past has dramatically fallen to 282 in the year of 2010. Bringing the daily average to a single abduction a day. The FARC would set up roadblocks along stretches of highways targeting individuals for their