HomeNewsBriefWhy is the FARC's Biggest Bloc Facing a Financial Crisis?
BRIEF

Why is the FARC's Biggest Bloc Facing a Financial Crisis?

COLOMBIA / 15 OCT 2014 BY JAMES BARGENT EN

Emails sent by commanders of Colombia's FARC guerrillas suggest that the rebels' largest bloc is facing a cash flow crisis, although this may have more to do with the weakening ties between the rebel fronts than a drop in criminal revenues.

The emails, which were obtained by Colombian newspaper El Espectador, offered a snapshot of the broad portfolio of financial interests managed by the Eastern Bloc of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).

They detailed the FARC's holdings in everything from construction and farming machinery to properties, describing nearly $30 million of assets in land and livestock alone.

However, despite these riches, the emails also described the Bloc's problems with "economic cash reserves," and debts rung up in purchasing weaponry, supplies and in business deals.

As previously reported by InSight Crime, in one email, FARC leaders call for a broadening of extortion rackets on oil companies and the African palm and ranching sectors, so they can guarantee "an economic base that will at least give us enough to eat."

In another email, the Bloc commanders complain they are "eating up capital" and relying on cattle sales to survive -- which, they estimate, will give them just enough funds for a year.

The Eastern Bloc is the FARC's most powerful bloc in terms of territory and numbers, covering seven departments in eastern Colombia. According to El Espectador, the Bloc is made up of nearly 4,000 fighters in 37 fronts, three columns and 15 mobile companies, although other recent estimates have put the number of rebels at less than 3,500.

InSight Crime Analysis

Not only is the FARC's Eastern Bloc involved in the wide range of businesses detailed in the emails, it is also one of blocs most deeply involved in the drug trade.

The Bloc controls coca growing hotspots such as the department of Meta, and within the FARC, it was one of the pioneers in processing and exporting cocaine in bulk.

Given this rich vein of income, it is surprising that the Eastern Bloc's commanders are facing a financial crisis. One possible reason is they have begun to wind back their involvement in drug trafficking or other criminal activities. However, a more likely scenario is that the profits are still there -- it's just that the various fronts that make up the Eastern Bloc are not handing over the cash to the upper command. 

SEE ALSO: FARC, Peace and Possible Criminalization

As detailed in an InSight Crime investigation, the Eastern Bloc is increasingly fragmented and is one of the FARC factions that will most likely spawn breakaway criminal groups that remain involved in the drug trade, should the guerrillas demobilize. Sources consulted by InSight Crime for this report suggested that the commanders of individual fronts within the FARC -- who were unsure about the current peace process with the Colombian government -- were increasingly holding onto their profits instead of handing it over to the bloc commanders.

share icon icon icon

Was this content helpful?

We want to sustain Latin America’s largest organized crime database, but in order to do so, we need resources.

DONATE

What are your thoughts? Click here to send InSight Crime your comments.

We encourage readers to copy and distribute our work for non-commercial purposes, with attribution to InSight Crime in the byline and links to the original at both the top and bottom of the article. Check the Creative Commons website for more details of how to share our work, and please send us an email if you use an article.

Tags

Was this content helpful?

We want to sustain Latin America’s largest organized crime database, but in order to do so, we need resources.

DONATE

Related Content

COCAINE / 3 FEB 2022

Central American countries seized a record amount of drugs last year, underscoring how the region has become one of the…

COLOMBIA / 21 OCT 2022

The re-opening of the Colombia-Venezuela border was a momentous occasion. But did it come too early?…

COLOMBIA / 18 AUG 2021

Seizures of coltan in Colombia have shown the complex networks used by armed groups to smuggle the valuable mineral from…

About InSight Crime

THE ORGANIZATION

All Eyes on Ecuador

2 JUN 2023

Our coverage of organized crime in Ecuador continues to be a valuable resource for international and local news outlets. Internationally, Reuters cited our 2022 Homicide Round-Up,…

WORK WITH US

Open Position: Social Media and Engagement Strategist

27 MAY 2023

InSight Crime is looking for a Social Media and Engagement Strategist who will be focused on maintaining and improving InSight Crime’s reputation and interaction with its audiences through publishing activities…

THE ORGANIZATION

Venezuela Coverage Receives Great Reception

27 MAY 2023

Several of InSight Crime’s most recent articles about Venezuela have been well received by regional media. Our article on Venezuela’s colectivos expanding beyond their political role to control access to…

THE ORGANIZATION

InSight Crime's Chemical Precursor Report Continues

19 MAY 2023

For the second week in a row, our investigation into the flow of precursor chemicals for the manufacture of synthetic drugs in Mexico has been cited by multiple regional media…

THE ORGANIZATION

InSight Crime’s Chemical Precursor Report Widely Cited

THE ORGANIZATION / 12 MAY 2023

We are proud to see that our recently published investigation into the supply chain of chemical precursors feeding Mexico’s synthetic drug production has been warmly received.