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How did Jesus Santrich die? Columbia rebel leader allegedly slain, internet jokes he 'didn't see that coming'

Columbia's government is working to confirm if Santrich is actually dead following a firefight in Venezuela, the first time he has been in the public since his disappearance in 2019

Jesus Santrich, a prominent leader of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), is reportedly dead after a gunfight in Venezuela. Details of Santrich's death are not yet available, with Colombia's Defense Minister saying an investigation is ongoing. 

Wanted by the United States on drug trafficking charges, Santrich has been invisible since his high-profile disappearance in 2019. While he was widely thought to be hiding out in Venezuela, there was never any official confirmation. The news on Tuesday, May 18, is the first time Santrich's name has been in the media since 2019. Along with his death, Defense Minister Diego Molano has alleged Venezuela is "hiding narco criminals". The Venezuelan government is yet to respond to that accusation, but in the past Venezuelan President Nicholas Maduro has said his country is a victim of criminals. 

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How did Jesus Santrich die?

Details of the death are limited at the moment. We do know that clashes broke out on Venezuelan soil on May 17. Molano tweeted, "Intelligence information indicates that in alleged clashes that occurred yesterday in Venezuela, alias "Santrich" and other criminals were killed. Information in verification. If this fact is confirmed, it is verified that drug criminals take refuge in Venezuela."

Molano's tweet does not specify that Colombian forces were involved in the 'clashes', sparking great speculation about what exactly happened. Given the fact that the clashes occurred on Venezuelan soil, it seems unlikely Colombian forces were present. El Pais reported that he died in clashes "between armed groups" but did not name which groups were involved. It is likely a result of clashes between local groups, possibly drug gangs who collided with territory held by FARC rebels.

There is also speculation that Santrich was killed by Venezuelan forces, who might have attempted to rescue some of their own. Last week, it was reported that eight soldiers were kidnapped by FARC rebels on the banks of the Arauca River, on the border between Colombia and Venezuela. It is unclear if Venezuela has launched an official rescue attempt.

Santrich was one of the over 1,500 armed FARC rebels who refused to give up their arms following the 2016 peace deal. Initially, he backed the accord and was even tipped to run for one of the 10 congressional seats granted to former rebels. However, all that changed after he was indicted by the US government, leading to him going underground in mid-2019. In August that year, he made his last known public appearance in a video announcing a new offensive against the Colombian government. The US believed he was hiding somewhere in Venezuela, but further details were not made public. Last week, the Colombian Supreme Court of justice ruled that Santrich could be extradited to the US.

Memes galore as Twitter celebrates

Following the news, Twitter was filled with memes and jokes, celebrating the death of Santrich. One user said, "I'm sorry but the old Santrich can't come to the phone... Why? cuz he's dead!" with a GIF of Taylor Swift. Another responded to the news with a pun on his name, tweeting, ""Club Santrich"." Another shared the popular 'oh well' meme and tweeted, "Santrich: Killed in combat U.S:" Several users simply posted a GIF from 'Avengers: Age of Ultron' where Pietro Maximoff asks "you didn't see that coming?"

Journalist Bram Ebus offered a more grave take on the situation, and tweeted, "The alleged death of rebel leader Jesús Santrich exemplifies the complexity of the relations between different state and non-state armed groups in Venezuela. Whatever happened, the presence of armed outfits fighting for the same illegal economies could only end in more violence."

One user tweeted, "If the Santrich thing is confirmed, the good-thinkers will excuse me, but nothing to regret, that blind b*****d did a lot of damage to the country."

Venezuela is also yet to issue an official statement on the matter, so the speculation is expected to continue until they do. However it happened, Santrich's death is a pivotal moment for South American politics, as he is one of the most wanted and dreaded rebel leaders in the continent.