Video confirms arms trafficking

PANAMA. The broadcasting of a video in which Jorge Briceño alias “Mono Jojoy” talks about how the Colombian terrorist organization FARC financed the electoral campaign of the Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa and the links the guerrilla group has in Panama for arms trafficking has ratified the information contained in Raul Reyes’s secret files.

The FARC strong man was killed during a bombing near Ecuador’s border 16 months ago, but not many imagined that after his death he would keep haunting President Correa.

Near the guerrilla leader’s body, members of the Colombian army found a laptop loaded with secret information about FARC’s future operations, and details of contacts and allies in 30 other countries. Panama was used as a place to get financing and launder money.

But that was just the beginning. Recently, a video seized from a militia woman and later transmitted by the news agency Associated Press, has created concern.

In the video, recorded on March 27 2008, “Mono Jojoy” named at least 200 FARC guerrillas, who helped finance the electoral campaign of President, Rafael Correa. At one point in his speech he said “We gave financial help to the electoral campaign of the Ecuadorian President and in later conversations with his emissaries we reached certain agreements which confirm links with our friends.”

Jojoy also said that he had documents regarding properties in other countries, including weapons in Panama, which is one of the most damaging pieces ofevidence.

However, the video further smeared e Correa’s image, who has already had his fair share of scandals.

The Ecuadorian President has been taking measures to avoid foreign companies winning contracts with the government, because his brother Fabricio has been accused of using his position to obtain contracts worth $80 million. The scandal also touched Panama, because Fabricio has companies in this country.