Deadly violence in Buenaventura has been escalating amid failures to implement a promised peace process in Colombia’s main port city on the Pacific coast.
The registered surge in homicides threatens a truce that had been upheld by Buenaventura’s largest gangs, “Los Shotas” and “Los Espartanos,” since September last year.
Gang truce returns peace to Colombia’s main Pacific port city
In a video that was posted on social media over the weekend, a group of heavily armed men vowed to defend the port city against “Los Jalisco.”
The threat followed a new wave of assassinations, including those of two leaders of Los Shotas in May.
Homicides in Buenaventura
In response to the threat, Defense Minister Ivan Velasquez published images of special forces of the National Police patrolling in one of the impoverished parts of Buenaventura.
The minister ignored called by the governor of the Valle del Cauca province, Clara Luz Roldan, to militarize the city.
Buenaventura’s bishop, Monsignor Ruben Dario Jaramillo, has been in talks with the Shotas and the Espartanos for a month in an attempt to maintain their commitment to the ceasefire.
Justice Minister Nestor Osuna said that he would ask Congress to approve a law that would allow the collective demobilization of the estimated 1,700 members of these gangs when lawmakers return from summer recess later this month.
According to Senator Ariel Avila, one of the architects of the government’s peace policies, blamed Congress’ failure to approve this law before the summer for the resurgence of violence in Buenaventura.
Avila said on Twitter that political campaigning ahead of October’s local elections is also fueling violence.
Buenaventura historically has suffered persistent and extreme violence because of its port, which is one of the main export hubs for cocaine trafficking.
Extreme poverty among the city’s 400,000 inhabitants and political corruption have further worsened the humanitarian situation in the port city.