Opinion ID: 202395
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Betancur's testimony

Text: As a 19-year-old in Colombia, working on his family's farm, he was approached by a group of men who identified themselves as members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia -2- (FARC). FARC is Colombia's largest and most active guerrilla organization and has employed extortion, kidnaping, and murder to further its political and economic objectives. Betancur testified that the guerrillas asked him to join FARC and stated that life could be rough if he refused. He refused, and later received a phone call at his farm and a separate phone call to his home, demanding that he join FARC. He again refused, and the guerrillas told him that [he] should be careful because the offense [he] had made against them was unforgiveable. At his father's urging, Betancur left his home and farm and went to the home of an uncle in Medellín, approximately one hour and fifteen minutes away by car. He stayed in hiding in Medellín for three weeks before leaving for the United States. After Betancur left Colombia, the guerrillas began to extort protection payments from his father, and told his father that if his son ever come[s] back, he should forget that he ever had a son. Betancur testified that his family could not safely avoid FARC retribution by relocating to Medellín because FARC has people everywhere, including in Medellin. As of the time of the removal hearing, Betancur testified that his father continues to make monthly payments to FARC and no one in his family has been physically harmed. -3-