Betancourt responds to “Gafas” joining FARC dissidents: “Man of Infinite Darkness”

Alexánder Farfán Suárez, alias “Gafas,” a former FARC guerrilla responsible for the kidnapping of presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt in 2002, has defected to the dissident FARC faction led by Néstor Gregorio Vera Fernández, alias “Iván Mordisco,” after being appointed as a peace facilitator by the government of President Gustavo Petro.

Farfán’s defection marks a significant blow to Petro’s “total peace” policy, which has struggled to engage former FARC fighters and dissidents in a sustainable peace process. Known within FARC as “the jailer,” Farfán was captured in the 2008 Operation Jaque that freed Betancourt and other hostages. He reappeared in the headlines last month when it was revealed he had delivered Argelia (Cauca) councilwoman Sandra Betancourt – no relation to Ingrid Betancourt – to humanitarian authorities. Betancourt had been held for six days by the Estado Mayor Central, the largest FARC dissident group commanded by “Iván Mordisco.”

High-Profile Defection

Farfán’s journey from high-profile hostage-taker to peace facilitator was controversial from the start. He was appointed to the role by the Petro administration in 2023 as part of a broader initiative to engage FARC dissidents in peace talks. The peace facilitators, drawn from demobilized combatants, were intended to mediate between the government and dissident groups that refused to sign the 2016 peace accord between the Colombian state and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).

Farfán’s decision to abandon his role and align with Mordisco’s dissidents raises questions about the effectiveness of Petro’s Total Peace strategy, which aims to negotiate with all armed groups still operating in Colombia, including drug-trafficking cartels. His defection, which reportedly occurred in February of this year, comes at a time of growing instability in Colombia’s southwestern region, where dissident factions maintain a stronghold.

According to a report by Semana magazine, Farfán was one of the warlords who handed over Councilwoman Betancourt on September 21 to a commission from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). The councilwoman, accused without evidence by her captors of collaborating with the military, was threatened by Farfán during her release. He warned her to leave Cauca for her safety while government officials, including the mayors of Argelia and Patía, stood by in shock. “I don’t know how you will continue as a councilwoman, but you can’t return to Cauca. It’s better this way to avoid problems,” Farfán told her, according to witnesses cited in the report. “All the western command fronts have orders to ensure this is enforced.”

Troubled Peace

Farfán’s defection confirms the deep challenges facing Petro’s government as it seeks to curb violence in Colombia’s conflict-ridden regions. Although the 2016 peace agreement officially ended over five decades of civil war with the ex-FARC, thousands of dissidents rejected the Final Accord and continue to extort and murder civilians. Many of these factions are heavily involved in drug trafficking and regaining control over large portions of the country, including the departments of Cauca, Valle del Cauca, Caquetá, and Nariño.

The 50-year-old guerrilla had been part of a front that held Ingrid Betancourt, who was kidnapped in 2002 while running for the Colombian presidency, and 14 other hostages, including U.S. contractors. The hostages were freed in July 2008 during Operation Jaque, one of the Colombian military’s most celebrated rescue missions. Farfán, along with fellow guerrilla Gerardo Aguilar, alias “César,” was captured during the operation and later sentenced to 19 years in prison on charges of rebellion, aggravated kidnapping, and conspiracy to commit crimes.

Despite his conviction, Farfán benefited from the transitional justice system established under the 2016 peace accord. After providing testimony to the Special Jurisdiction for Peace (JEP) in 2019, in which he admitted to holding hostages for several years, he was released early as part of the reintegration process for former combatants.

However, his return to criminal activity in 2020, when authorities linked him to dissident factions, led to his expulsion from the JEP justice system and a brief re-incarceration. Farfán’s second chance under the Petro administration, which included his release from prison and appointment as a peace facilitator, has now come to an abrupt end.

The decision from “Gafas” to side with Mordisco is a direct challenge to Petro’s “total peace”. The dissident group, which consists of FARC fighters who never demobilized, has recently stepped up its attacks on security forces and vulnerable rural populations. On Tuesday, FARC dissidents were engaged in intense fighting against Colombian security forces in Corinto, Cauca.

Mordisco’s dissidents announced earlier this year that they were suspending talks, citing a lack of progress and accusing the government of reneging on promises. Farfán’s absence from a key meeting with government negotiators in March was the first sign that he had defected. No official comment has been made by the Petro administration or by Camilo González Pozo, the government’s appointed negotiator with illegal armed groups. Former hostage Ingrid Betancourt spared more words to describe her incarcerator: “Alias ‘Gafas’ is a man of infinite darkness. That is to say, when he was appointed (by Petro), it was clear to us who were his hostages, that it was a farce.”