HomeNewsBriefELN Likely to Quickly Move Past Uriel's Death in Colombia
BRIEF

ELN Likely to Quickly Move Past Uriel's Death in Colombia

COLOMBIA / 27 OCT 2020 BY JUAN CAMILO JARAMILLO EN

The killing of ELN commander Uriel -- a well-known figure often seen in propaganda videos and press reports -- is a visible win for Colombia’s security forces, but it won’t have much impact on the guerrilla group as a whole.

On October 25, Andrés Felipe Vanegas Londoño, alias “Uriel” or “Pedro,” was killed in a joint operation by the military and police in the municipality of Nóvita, in the northern department of Chocó. He was a leader within the Western War Front (Frente de Guerra Occidental) of the National Liberation Army (Ejército de Liberación Nacional -- ELN).

In a video statement about the operation, President Iván Duque confirmed his death, saying that Uriel "was responsible for crimes such as the kidnapping and killing of social leaders, persecution and threats, ... the killing of soldiers and police officers, and ... encouraging the recruitment of minors.”

SEE ALSO: Colombia News and Profile

ELN negotiator Luz Amanda Pallares, alias “Silvana Guerrero," sent a message to the ELN rank and file about Uriel's death.

The Colombian government considered Vanegas Londoño to be a high-priority military target, offering a reward of 500 million pesos (around $130,000) for his capture.

InSight Crime Analysis

Uriel's killing is one of the most severe blows dealt by the Colombian government to the ELN in recent years. But it is likely an isolated victory, as it will do little to halt the transnational spread of arguably Latin America’s most powerful criminal syndicate.

Though highly visible, Vanegas Londoño served more as a local leader than a national one.

“It is a definite loss at a strategic, regional level, but it absolutely does not affect the ELN’s national dynamics. Like all regional commanders, Uriel took on various responsibilities, but he was more involved in the propaganda and ideology side [than military operations]. In a certain way, he was a public relations figure for the ELN,” Luis Fernando Trejos, a researcher at Colombia’s Universidad del Norte, told InSight Crime.

SEE ALSO: The ELN’s Repeated Demands for a Ceasefire in Colombia

Several ELN top leaders have continued to hole up in Cuba since peace talks with the Colombian government were stopped in early 2019. Uriel's killing, however, underscores that the government has no intention of returning to any form of negotiations, despite repeated attempts by the criminal group to seek a ceasefire.

Vanegas Londoño was particularly important to the ELN’s Western War Front, where he was reportedly third-in-command, under the leadership of Ogli Ángel Padilla, alias “Fabián.” This front is considered the second-most powerful within the ELN after the Eastern War Front (Frente de Guerra Oriental), under the command of Gustavo Anibal Giraldo, alias “Pablito.” The Western War Front is estimated to have about 800 men, including 500 active militants and 300 in various support networks, according to Colombian media reports.

Besides being one of the ELN’s most well-known figures on social media, Uriel oversaw the group’s political and ideological work. From southern Chocó, he was charged with recruiting members from rural and Indigenous communities in western Colombia.

The ELN has been fighting a long and bitter turf war to control prime drug trafficking real estate in Chocó against the Urabeños, a trafficking group and paramilitary force. Some analysts have suggested that Uriel’s death may, at least temporarily, destabilize the ELN in the area.

share icon icon icon

Was this content helpful?

We want to sustain Latin America’s largest organized crime database, but in order to do so, we need resources.

DONATE

What are your thoughts? Click here to send InSight Crime your comments.

We encourage readers to copy and distribute our work for non-commercial purposes, with attribution to InSight Crime in the byline and links to the original at both the top and bottom of the article. Check the Creative Commons website for more details of how to share our work, and please send us an email if you use an article.

Was this content helpful?

We want to sustain Latin America’s largest organized crime database, but in order to do so, we need resources.

DONATE

Related Content

CARIBBEAN / 1 JUN 2021

With its homicide rates higher than ever in 2019 and 2020, Barbados is now confronting a difficult question: will it…

COCAINE / 22 FEB 2023

The conviction of Genaro García Luna is a big victory for US law enforcement institutions. But problems remain in the…

ARGENTINA / 25 OCT 2022

Bolivia's cocaine trade is on the up. Originally a coca leaf cultivator, Bolivia has moved to cocaine production.

About InSight Crime

THE ORGANIZATION

Venezuela Coverage Continues to be Highlighted

3 MAR 2023

This week, InSight Crime co-director Jeremy McDermott was the featured guest on the Americas Quarterly podcast, where he provided an expert overview of the changing dynamics…

THE ORGANIZATION

Venezuela's Organized Crime Top 10 Attracts Attention

24 FEB 2023

Last week, InSight Crime published its ranking of Venezuela’s ten organized crime groups to accompany the launch of the Venezuela Organized Crime Observatory. Read…

THE ORGANIZATION

InSight Crime on El País Podcast

10 FEB 2023

This week, InSight Crime co-founder, Jeremy McDermott, was among experts featured in an El País podcast on the progress of Colombia’s nascent peace process.

THE ORGANIZATION

InSight Crime Interviewed by Associated Press

3 FEB 2023

This week, InSight Crime’s Co-director Jeremy McDermott was interviewed by the Associated Press on developments in Haiti as the country continues its prolonged collapse. McDermott’s words were republished around the world,…

THE ORGANIZATION

Escaping Barrio 18

27 JAN 2023

Last week, InSight Crime published an investigation charting the story of Desafío, a 28-year-old Barrio 18 gang member who is desperate to escape gang life. But there’s one problem: he’s…