Recent Violence in Colombia

08/05/11
Claire O'Neill McCleskey
Latin America and the Caribbean
Violence

Antioquía

  • A key leader of the criminal gang "Los Rastrojos," Angel de Jesus Pacheco, better known by his alias "Sebastian, was killed by his own bodyguards. His killers later turned themselves in, confessing to the killings and providing information that links public figures to "Los Rastrojos." Authorities say that Pacheco, a former member of the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC), was likely directly responsible for around 300 deaths. Elyssa Pachico at InSight Crime reports that Pacheco's death will be a "game changer" in Colombia.
  • The army killed two guerrillas from the FARC's 36th front who were installing anti-personnel mines in the district of Santa María.
  • Police rescued a merchant who had been kidnapped by gang members west of Medellín.
  • A firefight between gang members and police in La Ceja left one person dead and four injured, including a child.

Arauca

  • Five oil workers were freed after being kidnapped two days earlier by FARC guerrillas.

Caquetá

  • The vice president condemned a deadly mine attack in Puerto Rico. One person was killed and five peopled injured when a bus passed over a minefield.

Chocó

  • The minister of defense announced the creation of a "zone of intervention" against criminal bands in the south of Chocó. This is the third such zone created in Colombia, with the goal of protecting the populating, capturing gang members, and disrupting drug trafficking.

Entire Country

  • Last week Colombia's Electoral Observation Mission (MOE) announced that 20 candidates in the local elections to be held in October have been killed so far in 2011. Seven have survived assassination attempts, four have been abducted, and at least 32 have received deaths threats or experienced some form of intimidation. The department of Antioquía is by far the worst affected.

Norte de Santander

  • Police captured the FARC medic who attended to guerrillas leaders Iván Marquez and 'Conrado' in Venezuela. Authorities report that Miguel Ángel Aríñez Troche, who was captured in an internet cafe in Cucutá, is very close to many guerrilla leaders and has been a member of the FARC for more than 15 years.

This blog was written by CIP intern Claire O'Neill McCleskey