FARC admits death of ‘Manuel Marandula’

juancegomez says on May 25, 2008, 08:04:

Apparently it was confirmed via Telesur.

Good riddance, I say.

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Simon says on May 25, 2008, 08:06:

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

HERE'S SIMON!!!!

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tasco66 says on May 25, 2008, 08:30:

but PBH Farc sympathizers still refuse to accept the news

Bravo, Presidente Uribe for the perfect operation!

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Simon says on May 25, 2008, 08:37:

PBH terrorist sympathizers should be reported to the corresponding authorities!

HERE'S SIMON!!!!

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romy says on May 25, 2008, 08:39:

hey colombiareports.com- why do you headline Cali's loss (I know it was pretty bad), but you don't headline America's win that puts them on the verge of clinching a birth to the finals.


In other news... This seems like a more reliable source to be announcing the death of "shureshot"... I'm ready to move on.

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romy says on May 25, 2008, 08:49:

Simon- I'm an America fan not a Cali fan... so actually we beat Envigado, it was a good game 2-0. La mechita is flying, I'm very happy. I think we have a good enough team to win the league this semester and be able to compete for the sudamericana in the fall.

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Simon says on May 25, 2008, 08:52:

Romy, I was referring to Tirofijo's much deserved death.

HERE'S SIMON!!!!

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Colombiareports.com says on May 25, 2008, 09:07:

May I apologize for spelling the name wrong. I have punished myself severely and will never do it again :-)

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sanandressi says on May 25, 2008, 09:48:

The Farc says it was a heart attack but the military says there were some bombing going on around where he supposedly was back in March. I think he got bombed to death because why would the FARC wait two months to announnce a natural death? A week maybe but two months?

I suppose the truth will come out in time. Who is Cano the new maximo jefe?

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Medellin Traveler says on May 25, 2008, 10:09:

Farc confirms its leader is dead

'Timochenko', a member of the rebel group, confirmed the death on Sunday

The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc) have confirmed that Manuel "Sureshot" Marulanda, its founder and top commander, is dead.

Marulanda died "in the arms of his companion, surrounded by his bodyguards" in March following a heart attack, a senior Farc commander known as 'Timochenko', told the Venezuela-based Telesur network.

Timochenko's comments on Sunday confirmed an announcement earlier made by Colombia's defence ministry on Saturday.

David Moreno, an admiral in the Colombian navy, said in Bogota on Saturday that Marulanda had died on March 26.

In depth

The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc)

Juan Manuel Santos, Colombia's defence minister, had told Semana magazine that Marulanda, Farc's leader for four decades and believed to be about 80-years-old, may have died on March 26, citing "a source who has never failed us".

He said, quoting "guerrillas", that Marulanda died of a heart attack, but noted that three bombing raids targeted him on that date.

Colombia's government had announced Marulanda's death on many occasions over the past 15 years, but each time proof that he was alive cropped up months later.
Santos also said on Saturday that Marulanda may have been replaced as Farc leader by Alfonso Cano.

The Colombian army said Cano has been cornered in the southwestern jungle for months, and that his death or capture is imminent.

But Farc statements have denied that Cano is in that area.

Peasant background

Born to a peasant family, Marulanda, whose real name was Pedro Antonio Marin, was believed to have been radicalised by the civil wars that raged in Colombia in the middle of the twentieth century.

He and other survivors of a 1964 army attack on a peasant community escaped to the mountains and formed Farc, which grew over the decades to include a reputed 15,000 fighters, becoming Latin America's largest armed group.

Marulanda was said to have never set foot in the Colombian capital

Marulanda's deadly aim in combat against the army earned him the name "Sureshot".

Famously reclusive, he is said to have never set foot in Colombia's capital, giving just a handful of interviews over the course of his life.

Farc has suffered a number of blows this year, including the killing of its chief spokesman, Paul Reyes, a senior commander, and the defection of a highly regarded female leader in the group.

In recent years, Farc has been driven into remote jungle and mountain areas, but remains a potent force in some areas, bolstered by funds earned from cocaine smuggling.

Under pressure

Backed by billions in US military aid, the government of Alvaro Uribe, the Colombian president, has sent troops to retake areas once under Farc's control.

Attempts to negotiate the release of hostages held by Farc, including French-Colombian politician Ingrid Betancourt and three Americans, are deadlocked over demands made by Farc that Uribe demilitarise a rural zone for negotiations.

After the official claims that Marulanda was dead, Uribe said in a speech in the country's southwest that his government had "received calls from Farc" in which some of the leaders "announced their decision to leave Farc and hand over Betancourt if their freedom was guaranteed".

Uribe said: "The government's answer is 'yes, they are guaranteed freedom'."

He said those Farc leaders who free the captives could be turned over to authorities from "France, so that they enjoy that freedom there".

Uribe also touted the government's offer to reward fighters up to a total of $100 million when they turn themselves in alongside one or more hostages.

"Huevos Rancheros en Medellin, No Quiero Taco Bell." - www.medellintraveler.com

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slguy says on May 25, 2008, 10:35:

"Marulanda died "in the arms of his companion..."

interesting choice of words.

Before you throw me out, make sure I pay my bar tab

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gatogris says on May 25, 2008, 10:44:

You think he went out like Nelson Rockefeller? In flagrante delicto?

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slguy says on May 25, 2008, 10:50:

in english, that phraseology typically indicates a gay lover. i'm betting it's just the translation of "companera", though. but wouldn't it be humorous..? ;)

Before you throw me out, make sure I pay my bar tab

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Atrevido says on May 25, 2008, 11:11:

As old as Tirofijo was it´s very likely the FARC have had contingency plans in place for quite a while. However Rual Reyes may have figured large in those plans.

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Mr. Hollywood says on May 25, 2008, 11:36:

"in the arms of his companion" hopefully means he or she had her hands tightened closely around the old bastard's throat.

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