Colombia Reports

Parapolitics

The term parapolitics is used to describe the ties between paramilitary organizations like the now-demobilized AUC, and state officials in Colombia. Opposition Senator Gustavo Petro has been denouncing ties between…

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Para-economics

Para-economics is a phenomenon in Colombia in which businesses use death squads to either evade labor laws, increase their assets or maximize profits. The practice was particularly common in the 1990s and 2000s but…

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Caparrapos

Paramilitary group “Los Caparrapos” operates in the north of Colombia, specifically in Bajo Cauca, a gold-rich region in the Antioquia province. The group was initially formed in 1996 by “Macaco,”…

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‘Pablito’ (ELN)

“Pablito” is one of the ELN’s most radical and elusive leaders with a bloody criminal record. Pablito, whose real name is believed to be Carlos Emilio Marin, is regarded as…

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Radical Change

Radical Change is a political party led by former Vice-President German Vargas. The party was founded in protest of links between the Liberal Party and drug traffickers, but ended up…

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Oscar Naranjo

Retired General Oscar Naranjo is Colombia’s former vice president, the first ever former police official to occupy this post. Tweets by Gr_Naranjo The son of a police general, Naranjo was born…

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Puntilleros

“Los Puntilleros” is the name given to paramilitary groups “Bloque Meta” and “Libertadores de Vichada,” two rival factions of AUC dissident group ERPAC. The Puntilleros is considered a Class A Organized…

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‘Puntilla’

Oscar Mauricio Pachon, a.k.a. “Puntilla,” was allegedly one of Colombia’s most elusive drug kingpins, the alleged leader of “Los Puntilleros” and patron of many politicians and state officials. Puntilla was born in…

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Juan Manuel Santos

Colombia’s former President and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Juan Manuel Santos is a true political insider who has rarely strayed far from the path to the presidential palace. Tweets by…

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