Narco-paramilitaries present in 1/3 Colombian municipalities: NGO

Narco-paramilitary organizations are active in 347 of Colombia’s 1,119 municipalities, reported the non-governmental organization Indepaz Thursday.

According to the NGO, the number of Colombian municipalities with a narco-paramilitary presence has climbed from 259 in 2008 to 347 in 2011.

The largest threat comes from the drug trafficking group “Los Rastrojos”, which according to the NGO is active in 21 of 32 departments and 207 municipalities.

The second most active is the neo-paramilitary “Los Urabeños”, which reportedly has a presence in 17 departments and 181 municipalities.

The NGO points out that in 2011, Los Rastrojos and Los Urabeños expanded into the north of the country.

The neo-paramilitary organization “Las Aguilas Negras” is active in 19 departments and 181 municipalities. According to Indepez, the group is far less active in the Nariño department and the rest of the Pacific region, but has made an appearance in Arauca in northern Colombia.

Neo-paramilitary group “Los Paisas,” remains a small organization relative to Los Rastrojos and Los Urabeños, said the NGO, but is increasingly active along the border with Venezuela and in the coffee region in central Colombia.

The department most affected is Antioquia in northwest Colombia, where the NGO estimates that Los Rastrojos, Las Aguilas Negras, Los Urabeños, “La Oficinia de Envigado” and Los Paisas are active in 40.8% of municipalities.

The second largest haven for narco-paramilitary organizations is the northern Atlantico department, followed by the Bolivar, Cesar, Cordoba, and the western Choco departments.

Neo-paramilitary groups were all formed by mid-level commanders of the AUC, a right-wing armed group that controlled most of drug trafficking until its official demobillization in 2006. Los Rastrojos were formed from the remnants of the now-defunct Norte del Valle cartel.