Marcos Calarcá
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2021}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|name = Marcos Calarcá
|office = Member of the Colombian Chamber of Representatives
|term_start = 20 July 2018
|term_end =
|constituency = Valle del Cauca
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1957|08|16|df=y}}
|birth_place =
|nationality = Colombian
|party = FARC
|spouse =
|children =
|alma_mater =
|occupation = Politician
}}
Luis Alberto Albán Burbano a.k.a. "Marcos Calarcá" or "Marco León Calarcá" is a Colombian former guerrilla member and spokesperson of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). Calarca gained notoriety internationally when the Colombian government asked the Mexican government to shut down a legally authorized office of the FARC in Mexico City for their violent activities in Colombia and their support network in Mexico. Calarca was a spokesperson for the FARC in Mexico from 1993 until 2002.{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/71051.stm|title=BBC News - AMERICAS - Colombian rebel leader deported from Bolivia to Mexico|publisher=|accessdate=17 December 2014}}
His wife (Amparo Victoria Torres) and two sons live in Canada. Amparo Victoria Torres is the sister of a.k.a. "Pablo Catatumbo," one of the members of the FARC Secretariat. Amparo is currently an artist.
Arrest in Bolivia and extradition to Mexico
On Tuesday 24 March 1998 Calarca was arrested by in Bolivia by the Bolivian police at the airport of La Paz. Calarca was deported from Bolivia to Mexico since Colombia never requested his extradition.
Kidnapping of foreigners in Colombia
In 1998 FARC kidnapped a number of foreigners including four American bird watchers. The FARC claimed that these four hostages were spies involved in counter-insurgency operations aiding the Colombian military. The United States denied this as well as then president of Colombia Ernesto Samper. Calarca mediated in the issue and was an active spokesperson for the FARC. All four Americans were eventually freed.{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/70793.stm|title=BBC News - AMERICAS - Colombian President urges governments to break contacts with rebels|publisher=|accessdate=17 December 2014}}{{cite web|url=http://www.cnn.com/WORLD/americas/9804/25/bird.watchers/index.html?_s=PM:WORLD|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130119093136/http://articles.cnn.com/1998-04-25/world/9804_25_bird.watchers_1_largest-rebel-group-farc-rebels-revolutionary-armed-forces?_s=PM:WORLD|url-status=live|archive-date=19 January 2013|title=CNN - Two kidnapped U.S. bird watchers freed in Colombia - April 25, 1998|publisher=|access-date=17 December 2014}}http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl/1998_3048340/colombian-rebels-free-italian-captive-houstonian-2.html {{Dead link|date=February 2022}}
Expelled from Mexico
Calarca and other members of the FARC left Mexico on 17 April 2002 with Cuba or Venezuela as presumed destinations.[http://www.cajpe.org.pe/cronolog/abrilco6.htm {{in lang|es}} Cajpe.org: Cronologia Colombia] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071208080413/http://www.cajpe.org.pe/cronolog/abrilco6.htm |date=8 December 2007 }}
FARC-government peace process attempt
Calarca became part of the "thematic committee" during the FARC-Government peace process (1999-2002) along with other members of the FARC; Iván Ríos (coordinator), Mariana Páez,
Domingo Biohó, Felipe Rincón, Julián Conrado, Gabriel Angel, Fidel Rondón, Bayron Yepes and Pedro Aldana.[http://www.ciponline.org/colombia/farc.htm Center for International Policy: Dialogue and Negotiations Phase ("Mesa de Diálogos y Negociación"), May 1999-present]
Wanted by Colombian authorities
The government of Colombia is offering a reward of COP$1500 million pesos for his capture or killing through the Interpol services.[http://www.lanacion.com.co/cms/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1126 {{in lang|es}} La Nacion (Colombia): Lotería’ millonaria por las Farc]{{dead link|date=June 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
References
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{{FARC-EP}}
{{Colombia conflict}}
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