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Over 65 farmers fled Yondó, Antioquia today (July 12) due to a clash between the ELN and Clan del Golfo. According to the Mayor’s office in Yondó fighting broke out between the two groups in Puerto Matilde but quickly spread to the rest of the Cimitarra River valley. This is the latest in a series […]
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History The Estado Mayor Central (EMC) was formed as a result of the peace process between the Colombian government and FARC. In 2016, FARC’s historic First Front announced that it would not comply with the peace deal. The First Front was comprised of 400 men and led by Néstor Gregorio Vera Fernández, alias “Iván Mordisco.” […]
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History Los Rastrojos emerged out of the Norte de Valle Cartel, which is considered the successor to the Cali Cartel. The group was set up as an armed sub-faction loyal to one of the Norte de Valle’s leaders, Wilber Varela, alias “Jabon.” Partly, this was due to an internal power struggle against another Norte de […]
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History The Clan del Golfo (CdG) was founded in 2008 but it has deeper ties to the history of paramilitary groups in Colombia. Paramilitary groups were first formed in response to the kidnappings and violence of guerrilla groups like FARC and the ELN. However, they would themselves turn to criminal economies and commit numerous war […]
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History The ELN was formed in 1964 by Fabio Vásquez Castaño and other Colombian rebels who had been trained by the Cuban government. The nucleus of ELN trained in San Vicente de Chucurí, Santander, a town 50 km west of Bucamaranga. Another major early figure in the ELN was catholic priest Camilo Torres Restrepo, an […]