BOGOTA, March 19 (UPI) -- Leftist Colombian rebels have denied receiving money from the leftist government of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.
The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, said the group does not accept funding from foreign governments, Telesur TV reported Wednesday.
Colombian media and officials -- citing data retrieved from a laptop computer belonging to a slain FARC leader who was killed by Colombian forces in Ecuadorian territory this month -- alleged that Chavez pledged $300 million to the FARC.
The killing of FARC leader Raul Reyes in Ecuadorian territory set off a diplomatic firestorm that prompted Ecuador and Venezuela to cut off diplomatic relations with neighboring Colombia and send troops to their respective borders. The countries eventually called off the diplomatic row.
