Middle Magdalena Bloc of the FARC-EP
Encyclopedia
The Middle Magdalena Bloc of the FARC-EP is a FARC-EP bloc, notable for its involvement in the conflict with the AUC
until the latter's demobilization in 2004. Since then, it has become one of the Colombian army's biggest worries, as citizens of these areas are claiming that the FARC are once again gaining control over the territory.
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 called, 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
.
(Municipalities of Zaragoza, Segovia, Remedios, Amalfi, Vegachí, Yalí, Yondó and Maceo). Its current leadership has not been identified since its main leader was killed outside of combat in 2006.
. Its leader, who also commanded the 23rd front, was killed in combat in 2006.
dealers of the country.
, Cesar
, Santander
, and Norte de Santander Departments. Its current leadership is unclear.
Front, it is composed by up to 60 combatants and operates mostly in the Santander Department
and Boyacá Department
. Its leader, who also commanded the 11th front, was killed in combat in 2006.
and the Bolívar Department
. Its current leader is not known. Believed be bloc commander Pastor Alape's front.
. Its current leader is not known.
and Boyacá Department
. Its current leader is unknown.
United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia
The United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia was created as an umbrella organization of regional far-right...
until the latter's demobilization in 2004. Since then, it has become one of the Colombian army's biggest worries, as citizens of these areas are claiming that the FARC are once again gaining control over the territory.
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 called, 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Pastor Alape Pastor Alape Felix Antonio Muñoz Lascarro also known as "Jose Lisandro Lascarro" or "Pastor Alape" is a Colombian guerrilla leader, member of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia and part of their higher command known as the Estado Mayor Central which is made up some 30 to 60 members... |
Félix Antonio Muñoz Lascarro | |
| "Juan Carlos" | Killed in 2006. |
4th Front
It is composed by up to 100 combatants and operates mostly in the Antioquia DepartmentAntioquia Department
Antioquia is one of the 32 departments of Colombia, located in the central northwestern part of Colombia with a narrow section that borders the Caribbean Sea. Most of its territory is mountainous with some valleys, much of which is part of the Andes mountain range...
(Municipalities of Zaragoza, Segovia, Remedios, Amalfi, Vegachí, Yalí, Yondó and Maceo). Its current leadership has not been identified since its main leader was killed outside of combat in 2006.
| Alias | Name | Note |
|---|---|---|
| "Nicolás" | Murdered in 2006. | |
| "Juan" | Handed himself in and demobilized in August 2010. | |
| "Edward" | Handed himself in and demobilized in August 2010. | |
| "Deisy" | Handed himself in and demobilized in August 2010. | |
| "Andrea" | Handed himself in and demobilized in August 2010. |
11th Front
Also known as the José Antonio Anzoategui Front, it is composed by up to 60 combatants and operates mostly in the Boyacá DepartmentBoyacá Department
Boyacá is one of the 32 Departments of Colombia, and the remnant of one of the original nine states of the "United States of Colombia".Boyacá is centrally located within Colombia, almost entirely within the mountains of the Eastern Cordillera to the border with Venezuela, although the western end...
. Its leader, who also commanded the 23rd front, was killed in combat in 2006.
| Alias | Name | Note |
|---|---|---|
| "Wálter" | Killed in 2006. |
12th Front
Also known as the José Antonio Galán Front, this front was composed by 90 combatants and was mostly active in the 1980s, giving "protection" to the large emeraldEmerald
Emerald is a variety of the mineral beryl colored green by trace amounts of chromium and sometimes vanadium. Beryl has a hardness of 7.5–8 on the 10 point Mohs scale of mineral hardness...
dealers of the country.
| Alias | Name | Note |
|---|---|---|
| "Nicolas" | Killed in 2008. |
20th Front
This front is composed by up to 190 combatants and operates 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...
, Cesar
Cesar 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...
, Santander
Santander Department
Santander is a department of Colombia. Santander inherited the name of one of the nine original states of the United States of Colombia. It is located in the central northern part of the country, east of the Magdalena River, bordered to the south and southeast by Boyacá, to the northeast by Norte...
, and Norte de Santander Departments. Its current leadership is unclear.
| Alias | Name | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Leonardo Patiño | Nestor Arturo Hincapié | Killed in 2006. |
| Ernesto 45 | Nelson Sierra Rivera | Killed in 2004. |
| Diomedes, El Guajiro | José del Carmen Hoyos Macías | Arrested in September 2010. |
- Includes the 29 de Mayo Company, which was also under the leadership of Ernesto 45.
23rd Front
Also known as the Policarpa SalavarrietaPolicarpa Salavarrieta
Policarpa Salavarrieta , also known as La Pola, was a Neogranadine seamstress who spied for the Revolutionary Forces during the Spanish Reconquista of the Viceroyalty of New Granada. She was captured by Spanish Royalists and ultimately executed for high treason...
Front, it is composed by up to 60 combatants and operates mostly in the Santander Department
Santander Department
Santander is a department of Colombia. Santander inherited the name of one of the nine original states of the United States of Colombia. It is located in the central northern part of the country, east of the Magdalena River, bordered to the south and southeast by Boyacá, to the northeast by Norte...
and Boyacá Department
Boyacá Department
Boyacá is one of the 32 Departments of Colombia, and the remnant of one of the original nine states of the "United States of Colombia".Boyacá is centrally located within Colombia, almost entirely within the mountains of the Eastern Cordillera to the border with Venezuela, although the western end...
. Its leader, who also commanded the 11th front, was killed in combat in 2006.
| Alias | Name | Note |
|---|---|---|
| "Wálter" | Killed in 2006. | |
| "Nelsón" | Carlos Peñalosa Medina | Killed in 2005. |
| "the Butcher of Landazuri" or "Chaparro" | Carlos Iván Peña Orjuela | Arrested in September 2009. |
24th Front
It is composed by up to 200 combatants and operates mostly in the Santander DepartmentSantander Department
Santander is a department of Colombia. Santander inherited the name of one of the nine original states of the United States of Colombia. It is located in the central northern part of the country, east of the Magdalena River, bordered to the south and southeast by Boyacá, to the northeast by Norte...
and the Bolívar Department
Bolívar 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...
. Its current leader is not known. Believed be bloc commander Pastor Alape's front.
| Alias | Name | Note |
|---|---|---|
| "Iván Vargas" | Jorge Enrique Rodríguez Jorge Enrique Rodríguez Jorge Enrique Rodríguez Mendieta known by his nom de guerre Iván Vargas is a Colombian guerrilla leader member of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia , former commander of the 24th Front of the Middle Magdalena Bloc of the FARC-EP... |
Arrested in 2004. and extradited to the United States. |
| "Rubiel Colorado" | Killed in April 2010. | |
| "Erica" | Killed in April 2010. | |
| "Dubán","Duván" | Killed in April 2010. | |
| "Pipón" | Israel Díaz Hernández | Arrested in April 2011. |
33rd Front
Also known as the Mariscal Sucre Front, it is composed by up to 250 combatants and operates mostly in the Norte de Santander Department. Eleven of its members were killed on October 10th, 2011.| Alias | Name | Note |
|---|---|---|
| El Negro Eliécer | ||
| "Rubén Zamora" | ||
| "El Boyaco" | Killed in June 2010 |
46th Front
It is composed by up to 90 combatants and operates mostly in the Santander DepartmentSantander Department
Santander is a department of Colombia. Santander inherited the name of one of the nine original states of the United States of Colombia. It is located in the central northern part of the country, east of the Magdalena River, bordered to the south and southeast by Boyacá, to the northeast by Norte...
. Its current leader is not known.
| Alias | Name | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Fidel Romero | Rafael Rojas Zuñiga | Turned himself in and demobilized in 2003. |
South Unit
Referred to in Spanish as Unidad Sur, it operates in the Santander DepartmentSantander Department
Santander is a department of Colombia. Santander inherited the name of one of the nine original states of the United States of Colombia. It is located in the central northern part of the country, east of the Magdalena River, bordered to the south and southeast by Boyacá, to the northeast by Norte...
and Boyacá Department
Boyacá Department
Boyacá is one of the 32 Departments of Colombia, and the remnant of one of the original nine states of the "United States of Colombia".Boyacá is centrally located within Colombia, almost entirely within the mountains of the Eastern Cordillera to the border with Venezuela, although the western end...
. Its current leader is unknown.
| Alias | Name | Note |
|---|---|---|
| "Juan Carlos" | Killed in 2006. |
Columns and Companies
The following columns and companies also form part of the Middle Magdalena Bloc:- Mobile Company Ricardo Franco: Operates in the SantanderSantander DepartmentSantander is a department of Colombia. Santander inherited the name of one of the nine original states of the United States of Colombia. It is located in the central northern part of the country, east of the Magdalena River, bordered to the south and southeast by Boyacá, to the northeast by Norte...
and AntioquiaAntioquia DepartmentAntioquia is one of the 32 departments of Colombia, located in the central northwestern part of Colombia with a narrow section that borders the Caribbean Sea. Most of its territory is mountainous with some valleys, much of which is part of the Andes mountain range...
Departments. - Company Miguel Francisco Estrada: Operates in the Santander DepartmentSantander DepartmentSantander is a department of Colombia. Santander inherited the name of one of the nine original states of the United States of Colombia. It is located in the central northern part of the country, east of the Magdalena River, bordered to the south and southeast by Boyacá, to the northeast by Norte...
. - Company Luis Alberto Berrío Vélez: Operates in the Santander DepartmentSantander DepartmentSantander is a department of Colombia. Santander inherited the name of one of the nine original states of the United States of Colombia. It is located in the central northern part of the country, east of the Magdalena River, bordered to the south and southeast by Boyacá, to the northeast by Norte...
. - Company Raúl Edo Mahecha: Operates in the Santander DepartmentSantander DepartmentSantander is a department of Colombia. Santander inherited the name of one of the nine original states of the United States of Colombia. It is located in the central northern part of the country, east of the Magdalena River, bordered to the south and southeast by Boyacá, to the northeast by Norte...
. - Company Míller Chacón: Operates in the Santander DepartmentSantander DepartmentSantander is a department of Colombia. Santander inherited the name of one of the nine original states of the United States of Colombia. It is located in the central northern part of the country, east of the Magdalena River, bordered to the south and southeast by Boyacá, to the northeast by Norte...
. - Company 29 de Mayo: Operates in the SantanderSantander DepartmentSantander is a department of Colombia. Santander inherited the name of one of the nine original states of the United States of Colombia. It is located in the central northern part of the country, east of the Magdalena River, bordered to the south and southeast by Boyacá, to the northeast by Norte...
and Norte de Santander departments. - Company Gerardo Guevara. Regarded as the "Special Forces" of the FARC in this area of Colombia.
Alias Name Note "Jimmy" or "Pispo" Killed in April 2011.
- Pamplona Ocana García Rovira Unit: Operates in the Santander DepartmentSantander DepartmentSantander is a department of Colombia. Santander inherited the name of one of the nine original states of the United States of Colombia. It is located in the central northern part of the country, east of the Magdalena River, bordered to the south and southeast by Boyacá, to the northeast by Norte...
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