Ever since he broke with his successor, Juan Manuel Santos, former Colombian President Álvaro Uribe has aggressively used social media to keep himself relevant in the political scene of his South American nation, Folha de S.Paulo reported.

His predecessor frequently criticizes Santos over his talks with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) guerrilla group, accusing the current president of seeking peace "at any cost." As a member of Congress, Uribe currently only occupies a minor role in the Colombian government -- and thus has made a habit of taking to Twitter to voice his point of view.

"I am a liar, (and) Santos is right," Uribe quipped in an ironic Aug. 16 tweet, for instance. "I recommended him saying that he would be a sincere and responsible executive."

His virtual supporters are numerous: The former president has more than 3 million followers on Twitter, which is one in 16 Colombians.

"Uribe does not just tweet (his) opinions," said José Alejandro González Torres, a professor at Colombia's Universidad de la Sabana and specialist in digital strategies.

"His information network includes high-ranking commanders of the armed forces, local politicians (and) many individuals who were put at an advantage during his administration. Beyond that, he is an excellent communicator."

The former president's commentary seems to cause consternation not only among Santos' supporters but has even elicited a rebuke from the FARC, Pulzo noted. The guerrilla group took offense when Uribe blamed its militants for the recent downing of a Colombian military helicopter in the country's Antioquia department.

"In response to the constant slander by sworn enemies of peace, such as Mr. Álvaro Uribe Vélez, the chiefs of staff (of the FARC) inform the public that no guerrilla unit belonging to this group has directed fire at aircraft in said segion," the organization noted in a statement.

But given its effectiveness, Uribe's tweeting is unlikely to stop, political scientist Andrés Dávila told Folha.

"He blurts out short and sensible messages," Dávila said, "and does not tire of repeating (himself) to persuade."