Bolivarian Forces of Liberation
The Bolivarian Forces of Liberation (Spanish: Fuerzas Bolivarianas de Liberación FBL) is a guerrilla organization operating in Venezuela. The group claims to fight for Bolivarianism, a left-wing, South American ideology. The group was formerly known as the Bolivarian Forces of Liberation - Liberation Army (Spanish: Fuerzas Bolivarianas de Liberación – Ejército Libertador FBL-EL), but they have not attached the suffix to their name in recent years.
The organization, formed in 1992 as a left-wing nationalist militia to defend against potential entry of Colombian paramilitary brigades and "invasion by imperialist forces", was cited by El Universal to have some 4,000 members in Alto Apure, Apure.[1] The group was accused by a priest in Guasdualito of having recruited young people to become child soldiers, an accusation which was rejected by FBL spokespeople.[2]
There were rumors in 2009 that the group with in the process of disbanding, a claim the FBL denied.[3] Although relatively supportive of former Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez for his commitment to anti-imperialism, the group grew disgruntled with the direction of the Bolivarian Revolution after his death, citing president Nicolas Maduro's policy of currency intervention as nothing more than a tactic that would delay an economic crisis.[4]
Little has been heard from the revolutionaries since 2014, so it is difficult to say how devoted they remain their mission of building an anti-imperialist Marxist-Leninist state in Venezuela.
References
- ↑ "Aseguran que 4 mil hombres de la FBL operan en el Alto Apure". El Universal. 19 July 2005.
- ↑ Humberto Márquez (March 2007). "Violencia y silencio fronterizos". IPS.
- ↑ "COMUNICADO: Las FBL no están en proceso de desactivación". FBL. 18 July 2009. Retrieved 19 September 2016.
- ↑ "FBL: En Miraflores se fragua un nuevo pacto contra el pueblo trabajador". FBL. 29 April 2014. Retrieved 19 September 2016.