Timoleón Jiménez
Encyclopedia
Rodrigo Londoño Echeverri, also known under the nom de guerre Timoleón Jiménez or Timochenko (born January 22, 1959 in Calarcá
, Quindío) is the highest in command of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia
(FARC).
'Timochenko' took over the FARC leadership in November 2011 from Alfonso Cano
after the latter 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'.
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, 52, 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.." According to Colombian intelligence sources Timochenko is currently located in the Serranía del Perijá
, northeastern Colombia.
According to press agency Reuters
, Timochenko is considered a hardliner.
, 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.
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 dollars for information leading to his arrest and/or conviction.
Calarcá, Quindío
Calarcá is a municipality in the eastern part of the department of Quindío, Colombia. It is located 4 km east of the departmental capital Armenia...
, Quindío) is the highest in command of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia
Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia
The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia – People's Army is a Marxist–Leninist revolutionary guerrilla organization based in Colombia which is involved in the ongoing Colombian armed conflict, currently involved in drug dealing and crimes against the civilians..FARC-EP is a peasant army which...
(FARC).
'Timochenko' took over the FARC leadership in November 2011 from Alfonso Cano
Alfonso Cano
Guillermo León Sáenz Vargas , more commonly known by his nom de guerre Alfonso Cano was the commander of the militant group known as Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia...
after the latter 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'.
Before also assuming the leadership of the guerrilla group, Timochenko was one of the commanders of the Middle Magdalena Bloc of the FARC-EP
Middle Magdalena Bloc of the FARC-EP
The Middle Magdalena Bloc of the FARC-EP is a FARC-EP bloc, notable for its involvement in the conflict with the AUC until the latter's demobilization in 2004. Since then, it has become one of the Colombian army's biggest worries, as citizens of these areas are claiming that the FARC are once...
and was thought to have some 800 men under his command.
Timochenko, 52, 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
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
. Colombian authorities have frequently said that the FARC leader was hiding in Venezuela, but in April 2010, Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos
Juan Manuel Santos
Juan Manuel Santos Calderón is a Colombian politician who has been the President of Colombia since 7 August 2010. He previously served as Minister of Foreign Trade, Minister of Finance, and Minister of National Defense.-Career:...
stated that the Colombian government's most recent intelligence said that Timochenko was on the Colombian side of the border.." According to Colombian intelligence sources Timochenko is currently located in the Serranía del Perijá
Serrania del Perija
The Serranía del Perijá, Cordillera de Perijá or Sierra de Perijá is a mountain range, an extension of the eastern Andean branch , in northern South America, between Colombia and Venezuela, ending further north in the Guajira Desert, a total distance of about 310 km...
, northeastern Colombia.
According to press agency Reuters
Reuters
Reuters is a news agency headquartered in New York City. Until 2008 the Reuters news agency formed part of a British independent company, Reuters Group plc, which was also a provider of financial market data...
, Timochenko is considered a hardliner.
State department allegations
According to the United States Department of StateUnited States Department of State
The United States Department of State , is the United States federal executive department responsible for international relations of the United States, equivalent to the foreign ministries of other countries...
, 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
Illegal drug trade in Colombia
Illegal drug trade in Colombia refers to the practice of producing and distributing illegal drugs with psychoactive effects in Colombia. Colombia has had four major drug trafficking cartels which eventually created a new social class and influenced several aspects of Colombian culture...
to raise funds for the FARC and the murder of hundreds of people who violated or interfered with the FARC’s cocaine policies.
According to the U.S., in 2000, along with Pastor Alape
Pastor Alape
Felix Antonio Muñoz Lascarro also known as "Jose Lisandro Lascarro" or "Pastor Alape" is a Colombian guerrilla leader, member of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia and part of their higher command known as the Estado Mayor Central which is made up some 30 to 60 members...
, 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 dollars for information leading to his arrest and/or conviction.