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Road to peace for Colombia’s FARC

The most powerful and oldest guerrilla group in Latin America has re-launched itself as a political party. However, Colombia’s Fuerza Alternativa Revolucionaria del Comun will still be known as FARC

1964: Rebel leader Manuel Marulanda – alias Tirofijo – establishes Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, known as FARC

1982-87: Peace talks with government of President Belisario Betancur fail

1998-2002: Peace effort led by President Andres Pastrana breaks down


2008: FARC leader Tirofijo dies of natural causes

2010: FARC’s top military strategist Jorge Briceno – alias Mono Jojoy (above left) – killed in air strike. President Juan Manuel Santos (above right) takes office


2011: FARC leader Guillermo Saenz – alias Alfonso Cano (above left) – killed, replaced by Rodrigo Londoño – also known as Timoleon Jimenez or Timochemko (above right)

2012: FARC renounces kidnapping for extortion and frees all army officers in captivity. President Santos announces peace talks with FARC. They begin in Oslo, Norway, and later move to Havana, Cuba

Aug 24, 2016: Santos government and FARC announce peace accord
Oct: President Santos awarded Nobel Peace Prize

Mar 2017: FARC begins process of disarmament
Jun 27: FARC officially ceases to exist as rebel group and transitions to civil and political life. Peace deal ends 53 years of conflict that claimed more than 220,000 lives and displaced nearly 7 million people from their homes


Source: AP, Fox News, teleSUR
Pictures: Associated Press, Getty Images                       © GRAPHIC NEWS