Caribbean Bloc of the FARC-EP
Encyclopedia
The Caribbean Bloc of the FARC-EP is a medium-sized FARC-EP bloc which operates in the Northern areas of Colombia
and along the Caribbean
coast
, with routes and access to the coast being strategically important, and is thus sometimes referred to as the Northern Bloc. At the end of the 1990s the group had much control over the rural areas connecting the urban centers of the Caribbean Region
, but has since been forced to retreat into the more inhospitable Andes. The group's leaders have been held responsible for numerous kidnappings and killings along the entire Caribbean coast, including the urban centers Cartagena, Barranquilla
, Valledupar
and Santa Marta
. This bloc was also the center of the high-profile kidnapping of Fernando Araújo
, who recovered his freedom during an Colombian National Army offensive in early 2007.
The specific divisions of the group are arguable. Because of the current conflict existing in the country, much of the information recovered is conflicting and should not be taken as absolutely reliable. Some of the believed divisions or "fronts", as they are commonly call them, are shown below. It is worth noting that many of these fronts sometimes work together towards a certain mission, while others are further divided into "columns" and "companies" with a smaller number of members. For more general information see FARC-EP Chain of Command
.
. this front hasn't been active in recent years.
.
.
.
.
. Its suspected leader was arrested in 2006.
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
and along the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
coast
Caribbean Sea
The Caribbean Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean located in the tropics of the Western hemisphere. It is bounded by Mexico and Central America to the west and southwest, to the north by the Greater Antilles, and to the east by the Lesser Antilles....
, with routes and access to the coast being strategically important, and is thus sometimes referred to as the Northern Bloc. At the end of the 1990s the group had much control over the rural areas connecting the urban centers of the Caribbean Region
Caribbean Region
The Caribbean Region or Caribbean Coast Region is a natural region of Colombia mainly composed of eight Departments located contiguous to the Caribbean. The area covers a total land area of including the San Andres Island Archipelago of San Andrés, Providencia and Santa Catalina in the Caribbean...
, but has since been forced to retreat into the more inhospitable Andes. The group's leaders have been held responsible for numerous kidnappings and killings along the entire Caribbean coast, including the urban centers Cartagena, Barranquilla
Barranquilla
Barranquilla is an industrial port city and municipality located in northern Colombia, near the Caribbean Sea. The capital of the Atlántico Department, it is the largest industrial city and port in the Colombian Caribbean region with a population of 1,148,506 as of 2005, which makes it Colombia's...
, Valledupar
Valledupar
Valledupar is a city and municipality in northeastern Colombia. It is the capital of Cesar Department and was founded in 1550 by the Spanish conquistador Hernando de Santana. Its name, Valle de Upar , was established in honor of the Amerindian cacique who ruled the valley; Cacique Upar...
and Santa Marta
Santa Marta
Santa Marta is the capital city of the Colombian department of Magdalena in the Caribbean Region. It was founded in July 29, 1525 by the Spanish conqueror Rodrigo de Bastidas, which makes it the oldest remaining city in Colombia...
. This bloc was also the center of the high-profile kidnapping of Fernando Araújo
Fernando Araújo Perdomo
Fernando Araújo Perdomo is a Colombian politician. He was the Minister of Development during the administration of Andrés Pastrana. He resigned from this post after the Chambacú land deal scandal. He was later kidnapped by the FARC-EP guerrillas and held for six years until he eventually escaped...
, who recovered his freedom during an Colombian National Army offensive in early 2007.
The specific divisions of the group are arguable. Because of the current conflict existing in the country, much of the information recovered is conflicting and should not be taken as absolutely reliable. Some of the believed divisions or "fronts", as they are commonly call them, are shown below. It is worth noting that many of these fronts sometimes work together towards a certain mission, while others are further divided into "columns" and "companies" with a smaller number of members. For more general information see FARC-EP Chain of Command
FARC-EP Chain of Command
The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia's chain of command is divided as follows:# Commander in Chief of the FARC-EP, ultimate decision maker...
.
Commanders
| Alias Pseudonym A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym... |
Name | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Bertulfo Álvarez Bertulfo Álvarez Bertulfo Álvarez is a Colombian guerrilla fighter and member of the FARC-EP. He is the chief of the Caribbean Bloc of the FARC-EP and has been mentioned as a possible new member in the FARC's seven-member secritariat after the death of Alfonso Cano. He is also a member of FARC's Higher Command,... |
Emilio Cabrera Díaz | |
| Martín Caballero Martín Caballero Gustavo Rueda Díaz known by his nom de guerre Martín Caballero was a Colombian guerrilla leader, member of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia and commander of the 37th Front Caribbean Bloc of the FARC-EP that operates in Caribbean Region. He was killed in action by the Colombian Army... |
Gustavo Rueda Díaz | Killed in 2007. |
| Simón Trinidad Simón Trinidad Simón Trinidad is the alias of Juvenal Ovidio Ricardo Palmera Pineda, a high-ranking member of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia , and reputedly the first high-ranking member of that guerrilla group to be captured... |
Ricardo Palmera Pineda | Arrested and extradited in 2004. |
19th Front
Also known as the José Prudencio Padilla Front, it is composed by up to 200 combatants and operates mostly in the Magdalena DepartmentMagdalena Department
Magdalena is a department of Colombia, located to the north of the country by the Caribbean Sea. The capital of the Magdalena Department is Santa Marta and was named after the Magdalena River...
. this front hasn't been active in recent years.
| Alias | Name | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Solís Almeida | Abelardo Caicedo Colorado | |
| Felipe Arango | Killed in 2007. |
- Includes the Marcos Sánchez Castellón Mobile Column.
35th Front
Also known as the Benkos Bioho Front, it is composed by up to 220 combatants and operates mostly in the Sucre DepartmentSucre Department
Sucre is a department in the Caribbean Region of Colombia. The department ranks 27th by area, and it has a population of 772,010, ranking 20th of all the 32 departments of Colombia...
.
| Alias | Name | Note |
|---|---|---|
| "Jader" | Miguel Gaviria Fontalvo | Arrested in 2008. |
| Dúber | Rubén Darío Pérez Contreras | Killed in 2008. |
| Oswaldo | Guillermo Róquemes Díaz | Killed in 2007. |
| "El Pollo Isrra" | Víctor Antonio Lopera Úsuga | Killed in 2008. |
| "Freddy", "Mocho", "Chiqui" | César David Villalobos Cadena | Arrested in May 2010. |
37th Front
This front is considered by many to be the most dangerous faction of the Caribbean Bloc. It is composed by up to 250 combatants and operates mostly in the Bolívar DepartmentBolívar Department
Bolívar is a department of Colombia. It was named after one of the original nine states of the United States of Colombia. It is located to the north of the country, extending from the coast at Cartagena near the mouth of the Magdalena River, then south along the river to a border with Antioquia.Its...
.
| Alias | Name | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Martín Caballero Martín Caballero Gustavo Rueda Díaz known by his nom de guerre Martín Caballero was a Colombian guerrilla leader, member of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia and commander of the 37th Front Caribbean Bloc of the FARC-EP that operates in Caribbean Region. He was killed in action by the Colombian Army... |
Gustavo Rueda Díaz | Killed in 2007. |
| "Libardo" or "Chamo" | José Alberto Díaz Meza | Handed himself to the colombian army in September 24, 2011 |
- Includes the Cacique Yurbaco Column.
41st Front
Also known as the Cacique Upar Front, this front is composed by up to 180 combatants and operates mostly in the Cesar DepartmentCesar Department
Cesar Department or simply Cesar is a department of Colombia located in the north of the country in the Caribbean region, bordering to the north with the Department of La Guajira, to the west with the Department of Magdalena and Department of Bolivar, to the south with Department of Santander, to...
.
| Alias | Name | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Willintong, Caraquemada | Carlos Julio Vargas Medina |
59th Front
This front is composed by up to 200 combatants and operates mostly in the Guajira Department and Cesar DepartmentCesar Department
Cesar Department or simply Cesar is a department of Colombia located in the north of the country in the Caribbean region, bordering to the north with the Department of La Guajira, to the west with the Department of Magdalena and Department of Bolivar, to the south with Department of Santander, to...
.
| Alias | Name | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Aldemar Altamiranda | Gilberto de Jesús Giraldo Davis | |
| El Indio | Higuen Enrique Martínez Arias | Probably killed in 2007 |
| Pedro Iguarán | Aldo Manuel Moscote | May have assumed Rodrigo Granda Rodrigo Granda Ricardo González also known as Rodrigo Granda is a Colombian Venezuelan member of Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia . He serves as international spokesman of the guerrilla organization.-Arrest in Venezuela:... ´s position after his arrest. |
José Antequera Urban Front
This urban network is directly composed by 30 combatants, although its network is suspected to include a much larger number of members. It is considered FARC's greatest influence in the coastal city BarranquillaBarranquilla
Barranquilla is an industrial port city and municipality located in northern Colombia, near the Caribbean Sea. The capital of the Atlántico Department, it is the largest industrial city and port in the Colombian Caribbean region with a population of 1,148,506 as of 2005, which makes it Colombia's...
. Its suspected leader was arrested in 2006.
| Alias | Name | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Juancho, JJ | Juan José Domínguez Vargas | Arrested in 2006. |