Admired by the Colombian guerrilla after his coup attempt in 1992, the then lieutenant colonel Hugo Chávez Frías received financial support by the Colombian Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARC) for his projects after his capture that year. This mostly explains the relationship and "debt" between the parties, as revealed by a paper of the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) of the United Kingdom.

With data retrieved from the computers of slain leader of the Colombian Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARC) Raúl Reyes, the IISS revealed for the first time that the guerrilla group directly provided USD 150,000 to the MBR-200, the grouping founded by Chávez and used for the failed coup d'état against the then Venezuelan President Carlos Andrés Pérez. The gift was "for purchase of radiophones and other required materials."

Nonetheless, the guerrilla group never knew for certain if the subvention ever landed in the pockets of the movement -and those of Chávez. As late as in 2004, the then security advisor to the current Head of State, Ramón Morales, reassured the FARC that the support arrived indeed.

In an e-mail dated July 2004 -in the middle of a recall referendum against Chávez- Reyes wrote to his fellow Rodrigo Granda -the so-called "FARC Chancellor" and representative in Venezuela- on his contacts with the presidential advisor.

"The talk with friend Morales was superb. Good to know finally that someone has confirmed that our solidarity with Chávez and his fellows was received via Víctor so many years before. Even more so if Morales knows about the story and he is his security advisor. Thus, we have there a good liaison officer who will get us closer to Chávez," the IISS quoted in its paper reproduced by Bogotá's daily newspaper El Tiempo.

As explained by the IISS, based on the files seized from the rebels, the Venezuelan government gave financial aid for the operations of the FARC International Committee (Cominter) in Caracas. The assistance commenced in 2000, one year before Chávez taking office.

Throughout that close relationship and, despite denying the piece of evidence, the Venezuelan Head of State did meet with Reyes (twice). This was reported by Reyes in several notices sent to Manuel Marulanda, the FARC supreme chief, and other members of the FARC Secretariat, the IISS related.

In the late 2000s, and after several previous attempts, Reyes met with President Chávez somewhere in Venezuela thanks to the good offices of Ramón Rodríguez Chacín, the then second in command of the Directorate for Intelligence, Security, and Prevention (Disip). The IISS report produces evidence of how Rodríguez Chacín became the main liaison officer between the FARC and the Venezuelan government for their political, economic and military relations, particularly with regard to the guerrilla efforts at procuring war equipment through the Venezuelan mediation.

The guerilla group was bitterly disappointed in 2007 to see that the USD 300 million promised by Chávez never came true, according to Reyes. They were thankful anyway for the provision of arms, missiles and ammunition.

Translated by Conchita Delgado

Source: ElUniversal.com