Ex-guerrilla leader warns of violence after Colombia president-elect threatened

A top ex-FARC commander told AFP Tuesday that "messages of hate" could fuel renewed violence in Colombia, after the country's president-elect vowed to jail him and unwind a key part of the country's landmark 2016 peace deal. Rodrigo Londono -- aka Timochenko -- said former guerrilla leaders had written to right-wing president-elect Abelardo de la Espriella, recognizing his recent election victory and seeking talks.

De la Espriella had earlier branded Timochenko a "war criminal," saying he deserved to spend life in prison and vowing to work toward that goal. The hard-right firebrand has promised to end talks with dissident groups, bomb drug-running guerrillas and scrap any tribunals, which he believes allowed former FARC leaders to escape punishment.

Londono warned that persistent stigmatization of former guerrillas had been accompanied by "messages of hate" that risked generating violence. "There are people with privileged platforms spreading such messages, and that is extremely dangerous," he said. "It puts everyone at risk."

He said former FARC leaders remained committed to the peace deal and hoped to discuss its implementation with the incoming government, which takes office on August 7.