All About Colombia Personalities

COLOMBIA

Ricardo Abel Ayala Ortega, alias ‘Cabuyo’

COLOMBIA PERSONALITIES / 28 JUL 2020

Ricardo Abel Ayala Ortega, alias "Cabuyo," is currently one of Colombia's highest value military targets and operates mainly in the northwestern department of Antioquia.

Luis Agustin Caicedo Velandia, alias ‘Don Lucho’

COLOMBIA PERSONALITIES / 2020-04-29

For some two decades, Luis Agustin Caicedo Velandia, alias “Don Lucho,” is alleged to have played a significant role in trafficking drugs out of Colombia’s prized Eastern Plains region.

José Manuel Sierra Sabogal, alias ‘Zarco Aldinever’

COLOMBIA PERSONALITIES / FEBRUARY 2, 2020

José Manuel Sierra Sabogal, alias "Zarco Aldinever," served with the 51st, 52nd, and 26th fronts, in the departments of Meta, Cundinamarca and Boyacá and became one of the top commanders…

José Vicente Lesmes, alias ‘Walter Mendoza’

COLOMBIA PERSONALITIES / FEBRUARY 2, 2020

José Vicente Lesmes, alias "Walter Mendoza," played a historic role within the ranks of the now demobilized FARC, playing an important in the creation of the guerrilla group's infamous Mobile…

Leider Johani Noscue, alias ‘Mayimbú’

COLOMBIA PERSONALITIES / 8 NOV 2019

Leider Noscue, known by his alias “Mayimbú,” is currently one of the highest-value military targets in the department of Cauca, to the west of Colombia.

Seuxis Pausías Hernández, alias ‘Jesús Santrich’

COLOMBIA PERSONALITIES / AUGUST 18, 2020

Seuxis Pausías Hernández Solarte, alias “Jesús Santrich,” is a former rebel commander who has taken up arms again as part of a new dissident force made up of ex-leaders of…

Hernán Darío Velásquez Saldarriaga, alias ‘El Paisa’

COLOMBIA / SEPTEMBER 3, 2019

Hernán Darío Velásquez, better known as 'El Paisa,' was a top former leader of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia - FARC) and his exact…

Walter Patricio Arizala, alias “Guacho”

COLOMBIA / JANUARY 18, 2019

Walter Patricio Arizala, alias “Guacho,” was one of the most wanted criminals in both Colombia and Ecuador, after military forces made him a priority target. Guacho led the dissident members…

José Bayron Piedrahita Ceballos, alias ‘El Árabe,’ or the ‘Patron de Caucasia’

COLOMBIA MAFIA / MAY 10, 2019

José Bayron Piedrahita Ceballos is presumed to be one of the biggest drug lords in Colombia. During his criminal career spanning more than 20 years, Piedrahita managed to stay out…

Miguel Botache Santillana, alias ‘Gentil Duarte’

COLOMBIA PERSONALITIES / OCTOBER 27, 2019

Miguel Botache Santillana, better known as "Gentil Duarte," is currently Colombia's most wanted criminal. He used to be an important leader within the FARC-EP (Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia—Ejército…

Géner García Molina, alias ‘Jhon 40’

COLOMBIA PERSONALITIES / OCTOBER 27, 2019

Géner García Molina, better known as "Jhon 40," is the one who connects the cocaine that leaves southern Colombia with its buyers in Venezuela. If there is one example…

Néstor Gregorio Vera Fernández, alias ‘Iván Mordisco’

COLOMBIA PERSONALITIES / OCTOBER 27, 2019

Nestor Gregorio Vera Fernández, alias “Iván Mordisco,” is currently one of southern Colombia’s principal criminals. Until 2016 he served as commander of the FARC’s 1st Front—also known as “Armando Ríos”—but…

Óscar Mauricio Pachón, alias ‘Puntilla’

COLOMBIA / DECEMBER 7, 2018

Óscar Mauricio Pachón, alias “Puntilla,” is a drug trafficker who controlled a criminal network descended from paramilitaries in Colombia’s strategic Eastern Plains region. He was arrested in February 2016 but…

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InSight Crime Events – Border Crime: The Northern Triangle and Tri-Border Area

ARGENTINA / 25 JAN 2021

Through several rounds of extensive field investigations, our researchers have analyzed and mapped out the main illicit economies and criminal groups present in 39 border departments spread across the six countries of study – the Northern Triangle trio of Guatemala, Honduras, and El…

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InSight Crime’s ‘Memo Fantasma’ Investigation Wins Simón Bolívar National Journalism Prize

COLOMBIA / 20 NOV 2020

The staff at InSight Crime was awarded the prestigious Simón Bolívar national journalism prize in Colombia for its two-year investigation into the drug trafficker known as “Memo Fantasma,” which was…

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InSight Crime – From Uncovering Organized Crime to Finding What Works

COLOMBIA / 12 NOV 2020

This project began 10 years ago as an effort to address a problem: the lack of daily coverage, investigative stories and analysis of organized crime in the Americas. …

ANALYSIS

InSight Crime – Ten Years of Investigating Organized Crime in the Americas

FEATURED / 2 NOV 2020

In early 2009, Steven Dudley was in Medellín, Colombia. His assignment: speak to a jailed paramilitary leader in the Itagui prison, just south of the city. Following his interview inside…

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