US lifts terror designation for Colombia’s ex-guerrilla army

By ELLEN KNICKMEYER
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration has formally revoked the terrorist designation of Colombia’s former FARC guerrilla army. Tuesday’s move comes five years after the group signed a peace deal meant to wind down decades of fighting, assassinations, kidnappings and other political violence in Colombia. FARC is the Spanish acronym for the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia. FARC today is a political party with seats in parliament. Many in Colombia have urged the U.S. to lift the terrorist designation, saying it was limiting aid to groups that worked with demobilized fighters. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday also newly imposed terrorist designations on FARC commanders and offshoots that have refused to give up political violence.