BOGOTA: Colombia’s former leftist guerillas faced their first electoral test as a political party on Sunday in congressional voting also seen as a measure of the strength of the country’s factions two months before presidential elections.

Analysts see the balloting for the Senate and House of Representatives as a test of the democratic viability of the FARC, whose fighters laid down their arms following a historic peace pact last year and converted into a political movement. The Revo­lutionary Armed Forc­es of Colombia gave their new party the same FARC initials as the rebel group.

“The FARC are in a tough position,” says Leon Valen­cia, a former combatant who now directs the Peace and Reconciliation Foundation, a political think tank.

“If they get a low turnout, as is expected, their congres­smen will be shunned. They will not be seen as true representatives of the people,” said Valencia, referring to the fact that the FARC is gua­r­anteed 10 seats in congress under the terms of the peace deal that ended more than a half century of brutal conflict.

Casting a shadow over the FARC’s political ambitions is the recent decision to withdraw its candidate from the presidential race for health reasons. Former rebel leader Rodrigo Lond­ono, more commonly known by nom-de-guerre Timoc­henko, underwent successful hearth surgery last week and earlier suffered a stroke.

The ex-rebels have also exp­r­essed fears of irregularities in the electoral process and difficulties accessing cam­paign funds. Some of Londo­no’s campaign stops had been met with protests. The FARC’s leaders have said that despite these “obstacles” they are hoping to prove they have a future in Colombia’s political landscape.

Published in Dawn, March 12th, 2018