Colombia’s FARC political party on Thursday dropped out of this year’s presidential race, as their candidate, former guerrilla commander Rodrigo “Timochenko” Londoño, recovers from heart surgery.
In a statement, the political party cited Wednesday’s surgery and the overall political environment for the decision, saying they were abandoning “our presidential aspirations. ”
The FARC — formerly the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia — signed a hard - fought peace deal in November 2016 that put an end to the hemisphere’s oldest and largest guerrilla group.
Under the terms of that controversial agreement, the FARC are guaranteed 10 congressional seats in Sunday’s legislative election.
The presidential vote will take place May 27, but Londoño was running dead last in many polls amid a crowded field. As he struggled with health issues on the campaign trail, he was often heckled, threatened and attacked.
Source: Miami Herald