Paramilitary group AGC began a four-day terror campaign in northwest Colombia on Wednesday in response to the extradition of their former leader, “Otoniel.”
One person was assassinated in the Cordoba province on Thursday allegedly for opening his shop against paramilitary orders.
Public transport companies suspended their services in AGC-controlled territories after at least 50 vehicles were incinerated by presumed paramilitaries.
Shops and schools remained closed in Cordoba, Atlantico and Sucre, and parts of Antioquia and Bolivar.
Locals from Cesar said on social media that traffic was being shut down in their province too. These claims have not been confirmed by independent media.
In Cordoba and Antioquia, 15 local radio stations shut down after receiving threats from the AGC, according to press freedom foundation FLIP.
What is happening right now in the north of the country is sad and regrettable. There is no State or democracy at this hour in Uraba, Bajo Cauca, Cordoba, Sucre, Southern Bolivar, among other areas.
Journalist Esneyder Negrete
Local television station “La Chiva” from the northwestern Uraba region reported “absolute solitude” in the port city of Turbo on Thursday.
Mi admiración a los colegas de @LaChivadeUraba que se atreven a informar pese al miedo que se vive en Urabá por el #ParoArmado decretado por el Clan del Golfo. Piden a los violentos que respeten sus vidas, el derecho a informar y ejercer el #periodismo en esas diciles condiciones pic.twitter.com/5T3pPFxnFt
— Esneyder Negrete (@esnegrete) May 6, 2022
Locals from peripheral neighborhoods in Medellin, Colombia’s second largest city, said that gangs aligned with the AGC ordered the closing of neighborhood shops.
Also in Barranquilla, Colombia’s largest port city on the Caribbean coast, a bus was incinerated.
Defense Minister Diego Molano said that regional authorities had met to “attend possible retaliations” in areas controlled by the paramilitaries and said that five alleged AGC members were arrested.
