MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Colombian president claims Gaddafi supported FARC with money

FARC commander Reyes travelled on several occasions to Libya and requested 100 million dollars

Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos said on Saturday that the death of ousted Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi is a moral blow for the FARC that allegedly had ties to the north African leader.

Santos recalled alleged emails seized from computers of slain FARC commander “Raul Reyes” that indicate that guerrilla group FARC visited Libya on at least one occasion in 2000 to request a 100 million dollars loan of Muammar Gaddafi who was killed last week after being removed from power by armed rebels.

“There are many e-mails where it says Reyes visited Libya and presented a request for a 100 million dollars loan that would be reimbursed in five years”, said Santos. He added that Reyes travelled on several occasions to Libya via Havana.

The Colombian president's claims that the FARC had ties to the Gaddafi regime is being supported by U.S. security analyst Douglas Farah, who has said that Gaddafi “developed close and ongoing relationship with the FARC, becoming acquainted with its leaders in meetings of revolutionary groups regularly hosted in Libya“.

According to the Colombian President, the death of Gaddafi is the second setback for the FARC this week after the announcement of Basque separatist group ETA to disarm and seek independence from Spain through non-violent means.

”So, Gaddafi died and another supporter of the guerrillas and the narco-terrorism of the FARC and ELN died” Santos said in a speech in Santa Marta.

“Let’s hope the ELN and the FARC understand they are isolated and that the people reject violence”, said the Colombian president in reference to last week’s statement by the Basque group.