Timoleón Jiménez

A man named Rodrigo was born in Colombia.

He grew up in a poor family. He joined a large rebel group when he was young. He became a leader of this group later.

He helped make a peace deal with the government. This deal changed his group into a political party. Now he works in a new group called Commons. He even tried to run for president once. He had to stop because of heart health issues. He still works in politics today.

Rodrigo Londoño Echeverri was born in Colombia in 1959.

He grew up in a poor family. He joined a rebel group called the FARC in 1976. He was only 17 years old then. He believed in fighting for his ideas. He even learned how to be a doctor for the group.

In 2011, Rodrigo became the new leader of the FARC. People often call him Timochenko.

He led a large group of fighters. The United States government wanted to arrest him. They offered $5 million for information about him. They said he helped control the sale of illegal drugs.

Later, Rodrigo helped make a peace deal. In 2016, the FARC stopped being a rebel group. Instead, it became a legal political party. This party is called Commons. Rodrigo tried to run for president in 2018. However, he had to stop his campaign. He had to have heart surgery. He still works in politics today.

Rodrigo Londoño Echeverri is a famous Colombian leader. Many people know him by his nickname, Timochenko.

He was born in 1959 in Calarcá, Colombia. His family was very poor. His father was a peasant who supported communist ideas. After finishing high school, Rodrigo joined a group for young people. This group was part of the Colombian Communist Party.

Rodrigo spent many years as a rebel fighter. He joined the FARC-EP in 1976. He was only 17 years old at that time. He believed that fighting was the best way to change things.

While in the group, he learned to be a doctor. He studied medicine within the rebel group. He also led a large group of about 800 men. This group was called the Middle Magdalena Bloc.

In November 2011, Rodrigo became the top leader. He took over after the leader, Alfonso Cano, was killed. The United States government viewed him as a dangerous person. They offered $5 million to find him. They said he helped control the trade of illegal drugs like cocaine. They also said he helped the group make money from these drugs.

Things changed when a peace process began. Rodrigo helped the FARC-EP stay in talks with the government. In November 2016, they reached a big deal. The group stopped being rebels and became a legal political party.

This new party is called Commons. In August 2017, one thousand people met in Bogota to help start it. The party became legal in Colombia on October 31, 2017.

Rodrigo tried to enter politics as a presidential candidate. He announced his plan in November 2017. He wanted to run in the 2018 election. However, he had some very hard health problems. In March 2018, he had to have heart surgery.

Because of his health, he had to end his campaign. He continues to serve as a leader for the Commons party today.

Rodrigo Londoño Echeverri is a prominent Colombian figure who has shaped the country's history. He is known by several names, including his nom de guerre, Timoleón Jiménez. Many people also call him by the nickname Timochenko.

He has played two very different roles in Colombian society. He served as the commander-in-chief of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, known as the FARC-EP. Today, he serves as the president of the political party called Commons. This transition from a rebel group to a legal political party is a major part of Colombia's modern history.

Echeverri's journey began in Calarcá, Colombia, where he was born in 1959. He grew up in a poor peasant family shortly after the Cuban Revolution. His father was an illiterate peasant who held communist sympathies. After Echeverri finished high school, he joined the youth wing of the Colombian Communist Party.

In 1976, at the age of 17, he officially joined the FARC-EP. He later explained that he admired the idea of armed struggle. He believed that a quick change could happen, similar to what occurred in Cuba.

During his time as a rebel, Echeverri gained specialized skills. Although intelligence reports once incorrectly claimed he studied in Cuba or the Soviet Union, he did receive medical training within the guerrillas. He became a trained cardiologist. He also rose through the ranks of the organization. Before becoming the top leader, he served as a commander for the Middle Magdalena Bloc. In this role, he was believed to have approximately 800 men under his command.

In November 2011, Echeverri became the commander-in-chief of the FARC-EP. He took this position after the previous leader, Alfonso Cano, was killed by the Colombian army. His leadership brought significant attention from international governments. The United States Department of State accused him of directing the group's cocaine policies. They stated the FARC-EP controlled the production and distribution of hundreds of tons of cocaine. The U.S. government even offered a reward of up to $5 million for information leading to his arrest.

Despite these conflicts, Echeverri played a vital role in the Colombian peace process. In November 2012, he announced the start of dialogues with the Colombian government. He was considered instrumental in preventing the FARC-EP from abandoning these peace talks. This process eventually led to a historic agreement in November 2016. Under this deal, the FARC-EP transitioned from a guerrilla group into a legal political party. This change allowed the movement to participate in the country's democratic systems.

Following the peace deal, Echeverri moved into formal politics. In August 2017, he helped lead the founding congress of the Common Alternative Revolutionary Force party. This event took place at the Bogota Convention Centre with 1,000 delegates in attendance. The party was officially named a legal political party in Colombia on October 31, 2017.

Shortly after, Echeverri launched a bid to run for president in the 2018 Colombian presidential election.

However, Echeverri's political ambitions were interrupted by serious health challenges. In July 2017, he was hospitalized in Villavicencio due to exhaustion and numbness. Doctors found a temporary blockage of blood to his brain, known as a cerebral embolism. In March 2018, he suffered from acute coronary syndrome. This required him to undergo heart surgery. Because of these medical issues, he was forced to end his presidential campaign. He continues to lead the Commons party as part of the nation's evolving political landscape.