Colombia: Dynamics of a Drug War
Statistics at a Glance Colombia produces two-thirds of the world’s cocaine supply Colombia produces roughly 90 percent of the cocaine and a significant amount of heroin that is sold in the United States. The United States contributed over 4.5 billion dollars in aid to Colombia to help stop drug production and trafficking. www.southercenter.org/material _updates.html#Latin_America
NARCOTERRORISM Narcoterrorism is understood to mean the attempts of narcotics traffickers to influence the policies of a government or a society through violence and intimidation, and to hinder the enforcement of the law and the administration of justice by the systematic threat or use of such violence. http://www.answers.com/topic/narcoterrorism
The Beginning La Violenica era of civil conflict in Colombia between supporters of the Colombian Liberal Party and the Colombian Conservative Party, a conflict which took place roughly from 1948 to 1958 During "La Violencia", several members of the Colombian Liberal Party and of the Colombian Communist Party organized self-defense groups and guerrilla units, which fought both against those of the Colombian Conservative Party and among each other. http://www.answers.com/topic/la-violencia
Key Players Evolve FARC - Stands for Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia) - Manuel Marulanda Velez is the founder and leader of FARC -Military segment of the Colombian Communist Party -responsible for bombings, murder, kidnapping, extortion, hijacking, as well as guerrilla military action against Colombian political, military, and economic targets. http://www.answers.com/topic/revolutionary-armed-forces-of-colombia
2. AUC - Stands for Autodefensas Unidas de Colombia (United Self-Defense Groups of Colombia) - Paramilitary organization, formed in 1997, which mission to protect economic interests and combat insurgents locally. - AUC is supported by economic elites, drug traffickers, and local communities lacking effective government security -AUC political leader Carlos Castaño has claimed 70% of AUC's operational costs are financed with drug-related earnings http://www.answers.com/topic/united-self-defense-forces-group-of-colombia-auc-autodefensas-unidas-de-colombia
3. ELN - Ejercito de Liberacion Nacional (National Liberation Army) -Colombia's second-largest rebel group influenced by Che Guevara and Castro 4. ELP -Ejercito Popular de Liberacion (Popular Liberation Army) -Followers of Mao Zedong (Communist China) 5. M-19 - Movimiento 19 de Abril (19th of April Movement)
Drug Lords & Cartels Drug cartels are known for paying off guerilla, paramilitary groups, and government officials for protection 1. Medellín Cartel (was headed by Escobar) Pablo Escobar (killed in 1993) Ochoa brothers (Jorge, Juan David, and Fabio Ochoa turned themselves into the Colombian government in the early 1990’s in exchange for lighter terms) 2. Cali Cartel Ran by Rodriguez Orejuela brothers and Santacruz Londono More business sophisticated and less flashy than the Medellin Cartel
Cali Cartel goes after Pablo Escobar by forming group known as the PEPES (from Spanish: Perseguidos por Pablo Escobar, "people persecuted by Pablo Escobar"). Cali Cartel also gave up information on Pablo Escobar to the DEA and Colombian government Cali Cartel still runs, but not on such a large scale
The Drug Game Today After the demise of the Cali and Medellin cartels, lieutenants started to form smaller organizations less vulnerable to investigation by the United States and Colombian government. These smaller groups include: those who control of the jungle labs, transportation of coca from the farms to the labs, drug smugglers www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/drugs/business/inside/colombian.html
Current Drug Threat 2002 Regional Distribution Patterns http://www.dea.gov/programs/forensicsci/microgram/mg0303/mg0303.html