An alleged leader of the FARC guerrilla group, arrested in Ecuador on Monday, was an important link between the rebels and Mexico’s Sinaloa Cartel, according to Colombian authorities.
In a press release, the Colombian military claimed that Fabio Ramirez Artunduaga, alias “Danilo,” was involved in drug trafficking activities with an “international scope.” The statement said that Ramirez was working in close contact with high ranking members of the Sinaloa Cartel, including Joaquin Guzman, alias “El Chapo,” the cartel’s infamous leader.
Ramirez was arrested Monday in the Ecuadorian capital, Quito, along with a 29-year-old woman, believed to be his partner. On Tuesday, the pair were deported back to Colombia.
The guerrilla had allegedly been a member of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia – FARC) for 18 years. He has been implicated in the murder of eight police officers near the Ecuadorian border in September 2010, as well as in the murder of a lieutenant colonel in November 2010.
InSight has drawn attention to the business links between Mexican drug gangs and Colombian traffickers. In April of this year, Colombian police captured an alleged Sinaloa operative who worked as an intermediary with both the FARC and criminal group the Rastrojos.