FARC dissidents release video contradicting government claim that leaders Marlon and Ñeque were dead

FARC dissident groups posted a video showing the commanders known as “Marlon” and “Ñeque” alive, contradicting official statements that they had been killed in recent operations announced by Defence Minister Pedro Sánchez and General Hugo López. In the footage the guerrilla leaders denounced the reports as “falsas noticias” and accused the outgoing president Gustavo Petro and the incoming president Abelardo de La Espriella of fabricating deaths to boost troop morale. They called on their supporters to continue resistance and warned of defending their corridors against government forces. Military intelligence officials said the video appears authentic but noted technical inconsistencies that suggest possible manipulation, and confirmed that Marlon’s body has never been recovered. The incident has sparked internal debate within the Colombian security establishment about the verification of combat results in the southwest region.