The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia – People's Army ( ), also known by the acronym of FARC or FARC-EP, are a Marxist-Leninist revolutionary guerrilla organization.

The FARC are considered a terrorist group by the Colombian government, the United States Department of State, Canada and the European Union.Article 2(3) of Regulation (EC) No 2580/2001 1. Accessed February 20, 2008. A number of countries, including Brazil, reject classifying the FARC as terrorist, because it would be an impediment to holding direct peace negotiations with them, while other countries, including Cuba and Venezuela, are more sympathetic to the FARC.Fact: date=March 2008 Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez, for example, publicly rejected their classification as "terrorists" in January 2008 and called on the Colombian government and international community to recognize the guerrillas as a “belligerent force”, arguing that this would then oblige them to renounce kidnappings and terror acts in order to respect the Geneva Conventions. A Denmark court also rejected their classification as terrorism in a Copenhagen city court contradicting the EU position

The FARC were established in the 1960s as the military wing of the Colombian Communist Party. The FARC originated as a guerrilla movement. The group later became involved with the cocaine trade during the 1980s for the purposes of fundraising,BBC News. “Colombia's most powerful rebels.” 19 September 2003. Available online. Accessed 7 April 2007. but remained closely tied to the Communist Party even as it created the Patriotic Union in the early 1980s and later a political structure it calls the Clandestine Colombian Communist Party.

According to the Colombian government, the FARC have an estimated 6,000-8,000 members (2008), down from 16,000 in 2001, making it the largest as well as the oldest insurgent group in the Americas.BBC News. “Colombia's rebels: A fading force?” February 1, 2008.Available online. Accessed February 4, 2008. However, the Colombian government have claimed to have intercepted data that identifies at least 9,387 members of FARC.BBC News. “Colombia Seizes 'key Farc Data'” September 23, 2008.Available online. Other available estimates are higher, including up to 18,000 guerrillas.. “Interview with FARC Commander Raul Reyes.” July 12, 2007. Available online. Accessed February 27, 2008.