Colombia rebel group becomes a political party but keeps name

COLOMBIA’S disarmed FARC rebel group will preserve its acronym as it becomes a civilian political party under a peace deal brokered with the government to end more than 50 years of war.

The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia rebels, whose first political conference closed yesterday with a concert and speeches in Bogota’s central square, will now go by the name Revolutionary Alternative Common Force, preserving the Spanish initials.

Under a 2016 peace deal to end a war that has killed more than 220,000, most of the group’s fighters were given amnesty and allowed to participate in politics. Whether they will win the support of Colombians, many of whom revile them, remains to be seen.

The group considered other names but the new name won against New Colombia in voting at the conference, FARC leader Rodrigo “Timochenko” Londono, said on Twitter.

FARC also posted an illustration of the party’s policy priorities and its new logo, a red rose with a red star in the middle. Policies will include the fight against corruption and promotion of arts and culture.

“No more traditional political parties and their corrupt policies. Transparency and truth will guide the actions of the new party,” the graphic reads.

“Youth, women, indigenous people, rural farmers, Afro-colombians, artists, the LGBTI population, housewives, students, workers and the unemployed – everyone’s opinion matters.”

Under the peace accord, FARC’S party will have 10 seats in Congress ahead of elections next year.