S UR ▁on ▁ 2 5 ▁May ▁ 2 0 0 8 . ▁" T imo chen ko " ▁announced ▁the ▁new ▁commander ▁in ▁chief ▁was ▁Alfonso ▁C ano ▁After ▁spec ulations ▁in ▁several ▁national ▁and ▁international ▁media ▁about ▁the ▁" soft ening ▁up " ▁of ▁the ▁F AR C ▁and ▁the ▁announ cement ▁of ▁Colomb ian ▁President ▁Ál var o ▁Uri be ▁that ▁several ▁F AR C ▁leaders ▁were ▁ready ▁to ▁surrender ▁and ▁free ▁their ▁capt ives , ▁the ▁secret ariat ▁of ▁the ▁F AR C ▁sent ▁out ▁a ▁commun iqu é ▁emphas ising ▁the ▁death ▁of ▁their ▁founder ▁would ▁not ▁change ▁their ▁approach ▁towards ▁the ▁capt ives ▁or ▁the ▁human itar ian ▁agreement . ▁ ▁Late - 2 0 0 8 ▁prisoner ▁events ▁ ▁On ▁ 1 1 ▁January ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁during ▁the ▁annual ▁State ▁of ▁the ▁Nation ▁in ▁the ▁Venez uel an ▁National ▁Assembly , ▁Venez uel an ▁President ▁Hugo ▁Ch á vez ▁referred ▁to ▁the ▁F AR C ▁as ▁" a ▁real ▁army ▁that ▁occup ies ▁territory ▁in ▁Colombia , ▁they ' re ▁not ▁terror ists   ... ▁They ▁have ▁a ▁political ▁goal ▁and ▁we ▁have ▁to ▁recogn ise ▁that ". ▁However , ▁on ▁ 1 3 ▁January ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁Ch ave z ▁ret ract ed ▁his ▁previous ▁statement ▁and ▁stated ▁his ▁disapp ro val ▁of ▁the ▁F AR C – EP ▁strategy ▁of ▁armed ▁struggle ▁and ▁kid n apping , ▁saying ▁" I ▁don ' t ▁agree ▁with ▁kid n apping