Colombian rebels 'stronger than ever'

The FARC carries out bombing and kidnapping

By Jeremy McDermott in Colombia

Colombia's largest and oldest rebel army, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia - known as the FARC - has celebrated its 37th birthday and is stronger than every before.

It played down the event with no major celebrations and, of more interest to most Colombians, no major attacks.

The FARC is one of the last Marxist guerrilla armies in Latin America where Che Guevara and Fidel Castro's Cuba became a call-to-arms that rebels from Argentina to Central America responded to.

Almost all have laid down their arms, entering mainstream political life or disappearing altogether.

FARC founder Manuel Marulanda can now boast 17,000 fighters

But the FARC now has 17,000 fighters and up to 40% of Colombia under its control.

The secret of its success is actually no secret at all. It is drugs.

The explosive growth of the FARC began in the 1980's just as the United States began to develop a craving for cocaine.

Now where there are coca plantations - the raw material for cocaine - you will most likely find the FARC, or find it attacking the area to get control of this lucrative resource.

Public aversion

Only some five percent of the Colombian public support the FARC. The main reason for the public's aversion is the group's policy of kidnapping.

The FARC is feeling the pressure following US military support for Colombia

There is one abduction every three hours in Colombia - the majority carried out by the FARC or the country's second rebel force, the National Liberation Army.

Nobody really knows how much the FARC has earned from drugs and kidnapping. Estimates vary from between $300 million and $600 million every year.

Enough, according to the US state department, to double its present strength.

Despite over two years of peace talks between the government and the FARC, no progress has been made and the rebels refuse to call a ceasefire.

But the FARC has not had it all its own way, particularly in recent years.

The Colombian army, flush with over a billion dollars of US military aid, is improving its offensive capability.

Clear aims

And the right-wing paramilitary death squads, also funded by drugs and rich Colombians sick of guerrilla kidnapping and extortion, are growing faster than the rebels and now number over 8,000 fighters.

Analysts are not optimistic about the chances for peace and the FARC has been very open about its aims.

If it cannot get what it wants at the negotiating table it plans to seize power even if it takes another 37 years.