Using the pictures that the ONU mission and the FARC make public where it shows the weapons that they surrendered this Tuesday in La Elvira zone, jurisdiction of Cauca, three experts analyzed for EL TIEMPO, the type, origin and power of the arsenal.
“There are antitank and antiaircraft rocket launchers RPG from Russia; South African grenade launchers and Barrett rifles from USA that shots 50 ammunitions, capable of going through 500mm of armor” assured Wilton C. Hernandez Army Official, explosives and weaponry expert. In fact, the FARC said in 2012 that with a Barrett they took down a Super Toucan plane in Cauca, killing the pilots.
In the pictures also are Galil rifles with foldable butt from Israel, which had been used by the police and army. Some of them were stolen in mayor headquarters takes like Patascoy, Miraflores, Las Delicias and Mitu in the late 90´s. Its ammunition, cal.7.62, is restricted because of its lethality,
In the surrender were also Galil ACE rifles that are produced by Indumil since 2010. A lot of them were in the FARC hands because of corrupted officials.
“In general, the arsenal surrendered is in good shape and a lot of them are moderns. Some pieces, like the Galils and the Pietro Beretta 9mm, can be from the Army takes in the 90´s” explained Erich Saumeth, a consultant in defense.
And even though in the pictures there are no Russian rifles and Bulgarians AK-47, the common ones in the FARC, close sources to the process assured that they have been received. There are two types known: the ones with plastic butt that are from the 10.000 lot that sold the FARC to the Peruvian former adviser Vladimiro Montesinos in 1999; and the ones with wooden butt, from older lots.
The FARC also surrendered FAL rifles from Belgium that proves the communication with the Venezuelan Arm Forces that used this kind of weapon until a few years ago like their base weapon.
It is still a mystery the secrets that hide the 900 “caletas” (deposits where the FARC have hidden explosives and other weapons) that this demobilized guerrilla is offering. There are guesses that assure that there might be anti-missile weapons.
