The **Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC)** is a Marxist guerrilla organization founded in 1964 as the armed wing of the Colombian Communist Party. It originated from peasant self-defense groups resisting government forces, particularly after a violent military attack on the community of Marquetalia led by Manuel Marulanda Vélez and 47 others, who then formed the FARC's core[1][4][5]. Initially focused on rural areas, FARC evolved into a large irregular army, expanded significantly during the 1980s through income largely derived from coca production and drug trafficking, and began to challenge the Colombian state with increased military sophistication and territorial control[1][2]. The FARC's goals centered on overthrowing the Colombian government, combating social inequalities, and redistributing wealth from elites to impoverished rural populations. The group also opposed foreign influence, especially that of the United States and multinational corporations, which they blamed for Colombia's social and economic problems[2][5]. FARC engaged in a range of activities including bombings, kidnappings (often for ransom), assassinations, and attacks on political and economic targets. Their involvement in drug trafficking financed their operations with hundreds of millions of dollars annually from extortion and coca taxes[2]. Politically, FARC attempted to enter legitimacy by founding the Patriotic Union (UP) party in 1985 during a ceasefire phase, which initially won significant electoral support. However, violent repression by right-wing paramilitaries decimated the UP, killing thousands of its members and forcing many into exile, effectively eliminating its political presence by the early 2000s[2][8]. After decades of conflict, a historic peace process began in 2012, culminating in a 2016 agreement between FARC and the Colombian government to end hostilities and transform the group into a political party. While this officially ended FARC’s armed insurgency, some dissident factions rejected the peace deal and continued armed