3 May 2011

FARC files: Juan Manuel Santos leverage on Hugo Chavez still secret

Right on cue, after my article about Juan Manuel Santos being an accomplice of the FARC, the international Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) will launch the dossier "The FARC Files: Venezuela, Ecuador and the Secret Archive of 'Raúl Reyes'" in a few days time, here in London. We already knew that Reyes' huge cache data was sent by former President Alvaro Uribe to London, what we still don't know is how much of it was sent, or whether what was sent is of any strategic importance. But the IISS has provided a clue, in its announcement about the launch the following can be read:
The dossier explores the nature of FARC's activities in relation to Venezuela and Ecuador and their implications for regional and international security. All of the relevant archival material, totalling approximately 1.6 million words, will also be published on an accompanying CD.
Those following Hugo Chavez, his support for and relations with the FARC are aware of the INTERPOL report, commissioned by Juan Manuel Santos' predecessor, to the effect of establishing whether the data found in Raul Reyes' computers was veritable and trustworthy. It's worth a read, especially to find out that "... The eight seized FARC laptop computers, USB thumb drives and external hard disks contain a total of 609.6 gigabytes of data, including documents, images and videos..." (page 7) which "... if converted to full-page text documents would equal 39.5 million pages." (page 20).

So the questions that I would like to ask to the researchers from IISS are: who decided what constitutes "relevant archival material", Colombia or the IISS? Did Colombia sent the IISS the entire archive, totalling 609.6 gigabytes of data, or did it send just what it thought appropriate to carry on blackmailing Hugo Chavez?

5 comments:

Roberto N said...

A hell of a question, Alek. Spot on!

No way 39.5 million pages contain 1.6 million words unless there are charts, pictures and such all over the report.

It would not be surprising that Colombia handed over "just enough" but not "the really juicy" stuff.

Always keep a hole card handy, Pappy used to say.

firepigette said...

Alek,

What do you make of the Farc operative Joaquin Perez living in Sweden who arrived in Caracas to be arrested and shipped off to Santos?Is Chavez still supporting the fARC or not?

AB said...

There was a time when the Cuban dictator used to call the shots in Venezuela. Not anymore. Just imagine the sort of intel Santos has on Chavez, that the latter obediently captures and hands over FARC terrorists. Not the same to play fool, or ignorant, on Ivan Marquez than on a pretty well identified target sitting on a plane...

I very much doubt Chavez's policy of supporting FARC is still standing, in its previous form. However, I would not put my hands in for Chavez' sudden eagerness to cooperate with Colombia in counter terrorism activities. Too many thugs, with far too many connections to the under world still in prominent positions of his regime.

firepigette said...

Thank you for your answer.

I wonder how much leverage Santos would still have on Chavez once Mekled
has been handed over to him?The biggest threat hanging over Chavez is that Santos might break the agreement and send him to the US instead .

AB said...

Santos can dispose of Makled, every piece of intel that the Colombians, and the Americans, could take from him, they've already have.

Santos will not send Makled to the USA. In fact, the USA is a mere sitting duck in these proceedings...