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The Documentary Podcast

Trending: Colombia’s guerrilla recruitment video problem

The Documentary Podcast

BBC

Society & Culture, Documentary, Personal Journals

4.32.6K Ratings

🗓️ 19 June 2024

⏱️ 19 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Fighters from dissident armed groups in Colombia are using TikTok to glorify their lives as guerrillas and recruit youngsters. These armed groups did not like the terms of a peace treaty negotiated between the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and the government in 2016, and they kept fighting against the Colombian government. Videos glorifying life inside the guerrilla: money, cars, guns, women, community and purpose, have struck a chord with teens, particularly in rural areas like the Cauca region in west Colombia. So how popular are these TikToks and what does it mean for Colombia?

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

The song you're hearing comes from a recruitment video on TikTok. In the video we see just an image with text accompanied by a catchy tune.

0:14.0

Whoever posted it is offering the promise of money, parties,

0:18.0

and adventures a direct message away.

0:21.0

And hundreds of comments on Tik-Tok asking how to join show there's huge interest.

0:27.0

But there's a catch. In fact, recently, Colombia's Defence Minister warned of the dangers of Tik-Tok videos like this.

0:34.3

This is a recruitment action that are being carried out to attract children, minors in

0:41.2

valued region of the country, and this is one of them.

0:44.0

So who is behind these videos?

0:47.0

Well, this is one of many Tik-toces posted by people in Colombia's dissident guerrilla groups.

0:52.0

These are armed groups that didn't like the terms of a peace treaty negotiated

0:56.0

between FARC and the government in 2016,

0:59.0

and they kept fighting against the Colombian government.

1:02.0

These groups make their money from illegal businesses.

1:05.0

And although not all the videos actively offer jobs,

1:09.0

there are hundreds showing off what they portray as a slice of life inside the guerrillas.

1:15.0

Money, cars, guns, women, community and purpose.

1:21.0

So how popular are these Tiktogs and what does it mean for Colombia that there's tons of them

1:26.8

easily found by young people with smartphones across the country?

1:37.0

Welcome to the documentary from the BBC World Service. I'm Laura Garcia with BBC Trending.

1:40.0

We do in-depth reporting on the world of social media.

1:43.4

And in this episode, we're digging into what dissident guerrilla

1:46.4

recruitment videos on Tik-Toc mean for Columbia's

...

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