Raul Reyes |
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Luis Edgar Devia Silva (September 30, 1948 – March 1, 2008), better known by his nom de guerre Raúl Reyes, was a Secretariat member, spokesperson and advisor to the Southern Bloc of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia-EP (FARC). He was killed in a military operation by the Colombian army 1.8 kilometres (1.1 mi) within Ecuador, sparking the 2008 Andean diplomatic crisis.
Reyes was born in the Colombian town of La Plata, Huila Department. Devia Silva joined the Colombian Communist Youth (JUCO) when he was 16 years old. He later joined a trade union movement while working for a Nestlé milk plant in the department of Caquetá. Devia Silva served as councilman for his home town representing the Colombian Communist Party (PCC), and was also a member of the party's Central Committee.
After becoming a member of FARC and joining its Secretariat, Reyes became a prominent figure and spokesperson for the FARC.