Timoleón Jiménez
Timoleón Jiménez | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Birth name | Rodrigo Londoño Echeverri |
| Nickname(s) | "Timoleón Jiménez" "Timochenko" |
| Born | January 22, 1959 Calarcá, Quindío Colombia |
| Allegiance | |
| Rank | Supreme leader, Secretariat member, Bloc commander |
Rodrigo Londoño Echeverri (born January 22, 1959 in Calarcá, Quindío), most known under the nom de guerre Timoleón Jiménez and the nickname Timochenko or Timochenco, is the current Commander in Chief of the rebel group Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia.
'Timochenko' took over the FARC leadership in November 2011[1] from Alfonso Cano after the leader was killed by the Colombian army.
With more than 30 years of experience and a reputation of being a military commander he "has widespread respect among the rank-and-file, particularly the hardliners that form the core of the rural fighters".[2] According to the Colombian Air Force his alias is referring to Soviet Marshal Semyon Timoshenko.[3]
Before also assuming the leadership of the guerrilla group, Timochenko was one of the commanders of the Middle Magdalena Bloc of the FARC-EP and was thought to have some 800 men under his command.
Timochenko has been a member of the seven-member ruling guerrilla secretariat since the early 1990s. He is believed to operate in the Norte de Santander province on the border with Venezuela. Colombian authorities have frequently said that the FARC leader was hiding in Venezuela, but in April 2010, Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos stated that the Colombian government's most recent intelligence said that Timochenko was on the Colombian side of the border.[4] According to Colombian intelligence sources Timochenko is currently located in the Serranía del Perijá, northeastern Colombia.[5]
State department allegations
According to the United States Department of State, Timoleon Jimenez has set the FARC’s cocaine policies directing and controlling the production, manufacture, and distribution of hundreds of tons of cocaine to the United States and the world, including the "taxation" of the illegal drug trade in Colombia to raise funds for the FARC and the murder of hundreds of people who violated or interfered with the FARC’s cocaine policies.[6]
According to the U.S., in 2000, along with Pastor Alape, he ordered the Magdalena Medio Bloc to retake coca territory, shoot down fumigation aircraft, increase coca production, kidnap United States citizens and kill any farmer who sold cocaine paste to non-FARC approved buyers. The U.S. Department of State is offering a reward of up to $5 million for information leading to his arrest and/or conviction.[6]
References
- ^ "FARC appoints 'Timochenko' as new supreme leader". Colombia Reports. 15 November 2011. Retrieved 15 November 2011.
- ^ Colombia's FARC rebels choose hardliner 'Timochenko' to lead - CSMonitor.com
- ^ Timochenko will be the new target for the Armed Forces, Colombian Air Force (9 November 2011)
- ^ "It is very possible that guerrillas remain in Venezuela: Santos". Colombia Reports. 18 April 2011. Retrieved 15 November 2011.
- ^ "Colombia Farc rebels pick Timochenko as new leader". BBC News. 15 November 2011.
- ^ a b US Department of State: Rodrigo Londoño-EcheverryAccessed November 15, 2011