Timochenko Considers Quitting Leadership of FARC's New Party

The former commander of Colombia's FARC, Rodrigo Londono, also known as Timochenko, has expressed doubts over the process of transforming the guerrilla group into a political party.

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In an open letter to the members of the new party FARC, Timochenko said these doubts had led him to consider stepping down as the party's leader.

“Crafty, disloyal methods, that are absolutely not in the spirit we wish for the party” had led him to question his leadership of the political party, he wrote.

Timochenko explained that he was disappointed about the internal debates that took place while he sought medical treatment in Havana.

He also complained of “political prisoners who were not released, the so-called 'dissidents' messing around, a few leaders failing to play their part as they should, the problems with the electoral lists, and a long etcetera.”

The former guerrilla said he would uphold his commitment to peace and signaled he would work closely with the two commissions set up in order to re-structure the party.

“Just like all of you, what motivates me is that the process moves forwards.”

The FARC will hold 10 automatic seats in Congress through 2026 under the terms of the accord and may campaign for others.

Both legislative and presidential elections are set for 2018 and the party plans to reach out to ideological allies to try to form a coalition, without abandoning its commitments to land reform and social justice, the group said.