Jesús Santrich’s mysterious disappearance is the latest twist in his fraught transition from FARC militant to politician
of June 30th bodyguards from Colombia’s national protection unit arrived to escort Jesús Santrich, a formercommander, from an ex-combatant reintegration camp to an event organised by his supporters in Barranquilla, a city in northern Colombia. But when they arrived, they found his room empty. The window was open. Outside, tyres were stacked up into a staircase. Mr Santrich had left without anyone noticing, despite supposedly being almost blind. Nobody has seen him since.
Mr Santrich’s supporters say he fled because he discovered a plot to kill him in Barranquilla. It is more likely that he is evading justice. He was due to defend himself against the American government’s charges before the supreme court on July 9th. Colombian military intelligence claims he has crossed the border into Venezuela, which is just 11 miles away from the camp where he was staying, and has become a haven for many Colombian armed groups.
’s political party is more divided than ever, between those defending the peace deal and those who regret it. By abandoning his seat he has left his party without a crucial vote in congress. Former militants are scared they will be punished for their boss’s crimes: funding for reintegration projects could be slashed or public anger could hinder their return to normal life. The peace deal’s supporters are begging him to show up. But the authorities reckon Mr Santrich is gone for good.
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