Country Advice

Colombia Colombia – COL39989 – Los Rastrojos – Extortion – Political Agenda – Police Corruption 13 March 2012

1. What is the status of Los Rastrojos – currently active, size, areas of activity (i.e. is its activity confined to particular regions of Colombia)?

Los Rastrojos (or „The Stubble‟ in English) is active in Colombia and remains heavily involved in drug trafficking. Since its inception in 2002, the size and reach of the Los Rastrojos has rapidly increased and it is now one of the most powerful drug trafficking organisations in Colombia.1 A 2012 report published by the Brookings Institution2 states that Los Rastrojos is „by far the largest [drug] cartel in Colombia today‟.3 Similarly, in June 2011 Just the Facts4 noted that Los Rastrojos is „likely the most powerful “new” paramilitary group‟ in Colombia.5 In October 2011, Rodney Benson6 of the US Drug Enforcement Agency stated that Los Rastrojos – along with several other criminal organisations – continues to control key coca cultivation and transit areas throughout Colombia and receives a large proportion of its operational funding from drug trafficking.7 In several regions of Colombia, Los Rastrojos has developed alliances with other drug trafficking organisations including the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), the National Liberation Army (ELN) (both of which are leftist groups) and the notorious drug trafficker, Daniel „El Loco‟ Barrera Barrera.8

1 Insight (undated) 2011, Rastrojos, 25 February http://insightcrime.org/criminal-groups/colombia/rastrojos/item/63- rastrojos-profile - Accessed 7 March 2012 2 The Brookings Institution is a not-for-profit public policy think tank organisation based in Washington DC, America. The Institution aims to provide research and policy advice on international and domestic issues. 3 Zamora, K.C. Felbab-Brown, V. Isacson, A. Lopez, C. Bouvier, V. 2011, „Colombia‟s Election and Consolidation: Moving Beyond FARC and the Paramilitaries?‟, 21 October, Brookings Institution, http://www.brookings.edu/~/media/Files/events/2011/1021 colombia elections/20111021 colombia elections.pdf N - Accessed 9 March 2012 4 Just the Facts is a joint project by the Centre for International Policy, the Latin America Working Group Education Fund and the Washing Office on Latin America. The project aims to provide defence and security assistance to Latin American and Caribbean countries, including Colombia. 5 Just the Facts 2011, Colombia’s “New” Paramilitaries, 21 June http://justf.org/taxonomy/term/2?page=3 - Accessed 7 March 2012 6 At the time the report was written Rodney Benson was the Assistant Administrator and Chief of Intelligence at the US Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) Administration. 7 Benson, R.G. 2011, Statement for the Record before the Senate Caucus on International Drug Control Entitled US – Andean Security Cooperation, October, p. 4 http://drugcaucus.senate.gov/hearing-10-19- 11/DEA%20testimony%20on%20U%20S%20--Andean%20Security%20Clean%2010-17-2011.pdf - Accessed 7 March 2012 8 Just the Facts 2011, Colombia’s “New” Paramilitaries, 21 June http://justf.org/taxonomy/term/2?page=3 - Accessed 7 March 2012; Civico, A., Ortiz, R.D., Echeverri, D.A., Pardo, R. Gonzalez, E., Cirurlizza, J., Ronderos, M.T., Garzon, J.C and McDermott, J. 2009, „Peace Initiatives and Colombia‟s Armed Conflict‟, Woodrow Wilson Center for Scholars, p. 9 http://www.wilsoncenter.org/sites/default/files/Peace.Conflict.English.pdf - Accessed 7 March 2012; Fox, E. 2012, „Colombian Navy Uncovers 1.5 Tons of „FARC-Rastrojos‟ Cocaine‟, Insight, 8 February http://insightcrime.org/insight-latest-news/item/2190-colombian-navy-uncover-15-tons-of-farc-rastrojos-cocaine - Accessed 7 March 2012

Page 1 of 15 Rastrojos Activities during 2012 and 2011

No reports were found of Rastrojos activities in Villa de Leyva, irrespective of the date. One news report from 2011 was found, however, that discusses the presence of Rastrojos members in Boyaca Department9 more generally. Further, reports were found of Rastrojos activities in Colombia more widely during 2012 and 2011. Reports of extortion attempts by Rastrojos members are discussed at Question Three of this response.

Rastrojos Activities in Boyaca Department

One Spanish language news report from 2011 was found indicating that Rastrojos members were in Puerto Serviez in Boyaca Department at the time:

 On 1 April 2011, the Boyaca Department newspaper, Excelsio, reported (translated from Spanish using Google Translate services) that the „chief financial officer‟ of Los Rastrojos, known as „Don Alonso‟ was shot and killed by police during a raid on a house in the village of Puerto Serviez in Boyaca Department. The article notes that three of Don Alson‟s bodyguards were also captured by police on charges of „criminal conspiracy, aggravated homicide, extortion, forced displacement and unlawful possession of weapons‟.10 It is noted that Puerto Serviez is approximately five and a half hours by car from Villa de Leyva.11

Rastrojos Activities in Colombia More Generally During 2012-2010

Reports of alleged Los Rastrojos activities in Colombia more generally between 2010 and 2012 were located, including:

 On 1 February 2012 a bomb exploded outside a police station in Tumaco in Narino Department. According to Human Rights Watch, Colombia‟s Minister of Defense alleged that the explosion was a joint Los Rastrojos and FARC attack. The attack killed five civilians and wounded 41 people. Another bomb was detonated near a police station in Cauca Department on 2 February 2011. It is unclear from the article whether Los Rastrojos was implicated in the second attack.12

 According to Human Rights Watch, in June 2011 a death threat signed by Los Rastrojos targeted numerous Colombian organisations and individual human rights

9 The term „Department‟ refers to country subdivisions in Colombia. 10 „En Puerto Boyaca Caya Uno de Los Rastrojos‟ (In Puerto Boyaca Fell one of the Stubble) 2011, Excelsio, 10 April http://www.excelsio net/2011/04/en-puerto-boyaca-cayo-uno-de-los.html - http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&ie=UTF8&prev= t&sl=es&tl=en&twu=1&u=http://www.excelsio.net/2 011/04/en-puerto-boyaca-cayo-uno-de-los.html - Accessed 8 March 2012. Please note: Google translations can often be poor and can contain errors – as such they give only a rough indication of the contents of a document. For any further reliance on this information, a professional translation should be obtained. 11 Google Maps (undated), Puerto Serviez, Boyaca to Villa de Leyva Plaza http://maps.google.com.au/maps?saddr=Villa+De+Leyva,+Boyac%C3%A1,+Colombia&daddr=Puerto+Serviez,+Pu erto+Boyac%C3%A1,+Boyaca,+Colombia&hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=6.079108,- 73.995667&spn=1.063761,2.108002&sll=6.0782,-73.9952&sspn=1.063764,2.108002&geocode=Fc7wVQAdGx-e- ylnhqAFDtdBjjGCwuw5Me3xhQ%3BFcZXXwAd4K6O- yl1tlLmj95DjjHGbNQyxdvzMQ&oq=Villa+De+Leyva,+Boyaca,+Colombia&mra=ls&t=m&z=10- Accessed 12 March 2012 12 Human Rights Watch 2012, Colombia: Investigate Bomb Attacks in Southwest, 3 February, UNHCR Refworld website http://www.unhcr.org/cgi- bin/texis/vtx/refworld/rwmain?page=country&docid=4f3129902&skip=0&coi=COL&querysi=ra strojos&searchin=fulltext&display=30&sort=date - Accessed 8 March 2012

Page 2 of 15 defenders, including several prominent advocates for the rights of women and internally displaced people.13 Human Rights Watch does not comment on the motivation for these death threats.

 On 24 August 2010, Just the Facts reported that three teenage boys were killed in Puerto Asis, Putumayo Department. The Puerto Asis Defense Council attributed the murders to Los Rastrojos members. According to the article, the names of the three boys appeared on a „death threat‟ list of 69 names posted on Facebook. Fliers were also circulated throughout the town demanding people on the list leave the town or be killed. The Puerto Asis Defense Council claims that Los Rastrojos members are also responsible for these threats. The article notes that Los Rastrojos has been linked to „other violent threats, attacks, and intimidation tactics‟ in the area.14

Size of Los Rastrojos

Sources consulted provide a consistent estimate of between 1,000 and 1,500 Los Rastrojos members. It is largely unclear from these reports whether Rastrojos membership is increasing; although one report was found stating the number of Rastrojos members has grown:

 In June 2011, Just the Facts reported that the size of Los Rastrojos has grown to between 1,200 and 1,500 members. The report notes that many former members of the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC) have joined Los Rastrojos.15 The AUC is an umbrella organisation for right-wing paramilitaries.16

 According to an article published by Insight17 in February 2011, Los Rastrojos has 1,200 „soldiers‟.18

 In 2010 Andrew Goldsmith19 reported that Los Rastrojos has 1,400 members and draws heavily from former AUC members for recruits.20

 In March 2010, Colombia Reports21 stated that Rastrojos has 800 members.22

13Human Rights Watch 2012, Colombia: Human Rights Watch World Report Colombia 2012, 22 January, UNHCR Refworld website http://www.hr w.org/world-report-2012/colombia – Accessed 15 February 2012 (CISNET CX281544) 14 Kinosian, S. 2011, „Violence in Colombia: Update‟, Just the Facts, 24 August http://justf.org/blog/2010/08/24/violence-colombia-update - Accessed 29 March 2011 (CISNET CX261658) 15 Just the Facts 2011, Colombia’s “New” Paramilitaries, 21 June http://justf.org/taxonomy/term/2?page=3 - Accessed 7 March 2012 16 „Colombia‟s Civil War‟ 2002, Public Broadcasting Service, September http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/latin america/colombia/players auc.html - Accessed 13 March 2012 17 Insight provides research, analysis and investigation of organised crime in Latin America and the Caribbean. Insight began in 2010 and receives funding from the Open Society Foundation and the American University‟s Center for Latin American and Latino Studies (CLALS). 18 Insight (undated) 2011, Rastrojos, 25 February http://insightcrime.org/criminal-groups/colombia/rastrojos/item/63- rastrojos-profile - Accessed 7 March 2012 19 At the time the report was written Andrew Goldsmith was the Executive Director of the Centre for Transnational Crime Prevention (CTCP) at the University of Wollongong. 20 Goldsmith, A. 2010, Escobar’s Echo: Colombian Cocaine Trafficking in the 21st Century, Centre for Transnational Crime Prevention http://www.aic.gov.au/events/aic%20upcoming%20events/2010/~/media/conferences/2010- isoc/presentations/goldsmith.pdf - Accessed 7 March 2012 21 Colombia Reports is an English language Colombian news website based in Medellin. The website claims to be independent and not affiliated with any political or social organisation.

Page 3 of 15 Areas of Activity

Los Rastrojos‟ activities are not confined to a particular region of Colombia. Although sources consulted agree that Los Rastrojos‟ stronghold is in the southern departments of Colombia – in particular, Narino Department – they note that the group‟s operations are spreading into northern departments. No information was found regarding whether Los Rastrojos has a permanent presence specifically in Valle de Leyva or Boyaca Department more generally.23 The abovementioned 2011 Excelsio article, however, indicates that police have located Rastrojos members in Puerto Serviez in Boyaca Department.24

Los Rastrojos is the strongest paramilitary group along the southern border of Colombia and is heavily present in the coastal areas of the southern Department of Narino (see Figure 1 for map of Colombian departments).25 In February 2012, Los Rastrojos reached an agreement with rival drug trafficking groups, the Urabenos and Paisas, that they would control the southern departments of Valle del Cauca and Narino.26

Los Rastrojos also has a presence in the northern departments of Colombia, in particular the Antiquia Department.27 This presence has been increasing as the group seeks to control over more territory resulting in disputes with the Urabenos and Paisas in the northern departments of Colombia. In June 2011, Just for Facts noted that Los Rastrojos‟ „region of control‟ has increased from six departments in 2008 to more than 22 departments, (of a total of 32 departments in Colombia) incorporating 185 municipalities in 2010:

[Los Rastrojos‟] region of control has spread south from [the Departments of] Valle del Cauca and Risaraldainto the regions bordering Peru and Ecuador and North into Antioquia, Chocó, Caribe [region of Colombia along the Caribbean Sea], and Norte de Santander.28

While Los Rastrojos has negotiated with Urabenos and Paisas for control of the southern departments of Valle del Cauca and Narino, it remains in dispute with them over the northern

22 „Colombian Authorities Claim Massive Arrest of „Los Rastrojos‟ Commanders‟ 2010, Colombian Reports, 18 March http://colombiareports.com/colombia-news/news/8768-colombian-authorities-claim-massive-arrest-of-los- rastrojos-commanders.html - Accessed 7 March 2012 23 Nature of the research conducted included consulting internal tribunal databases, CISNET and the Factiva database. An internet search of publically available documents was also undertaken including the European Country of Origin Network, Immigration and Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, UNHCR Refworld, International Crisis Group and Factiva. A Spanish language search was also undertaken using the Google Translate service. 24 „En Puerto Boyaca Caya Uno de Los Rastrojos‟ (In Puerto Boyaca Fell one of the Stubble) 2011, Excelsio, 10 April http://www.excelsio net/2011/04/en-puerto-boyaca-cayo-uno-de-los.html - http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&ie=UTF8&prev= t&sl=es&tl=en&twu=1&u=http://www.excelsio.net/2 011/04/en-puerto-boyaca-cayo-uno-de-los.html - Accessed 8 March 2012. Please note: Google translations can often be poor and can contain errors – as such they give only a rough indication of the contents of a document. For any further reliance on this information, a professional translation should be obtained. 25 International Crisis Group 2011, Moving Beyond Easy Wins: Colombia’s Borders, 31 October, Latin America Report No. 40, UNHCR Refworld website, p. 11 http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/pdfid/4eb24f9b2.pdf - Accessed 8 March 2012 26 Alsema, A. 2012, „Colombian Drug Gangs Agree to Divide Territory‟, Colombia Reports, 16 February http://colombiareports.com/colombia-news/news/22238-colombian-drug-gangs-agree-to-territory html - Accessed 13 March 2012 27 International Crisis Group 2011, Moving Beyond Easy Wins: Colombia’s Borders, 31 October, Latin America Report No. 40, UNHCR Refworld website, p. 11 http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/pdfid/4eb24f9b2.pdf - Accessed 8 March 2012 28 Just the Facts 2011, Colombia’s “New” Paramilitaries, 21 June http://justf.org/taxonomy/term/2?page=3 - Accessed 7 March 2012

Page 4 of 15 departments of Cordoba, Magdalena, Santander and Guajira.29 This is corroborated by an April 2011 Economist article that noted Los Rastrojos is involved in a „murderous turf war‟ with the Urabenos for control over the northern departments of Cordoba and Antiquia.30

Figure 1: Map showing the Departments of Colombia (Arrows point to the departments mentioned above)31

Note regarding Risaralda Department32

2. Is there any information regarding a person called Gustavo Galindo?

29 „Colombian Drug Gangs Agree to Divide Territory‟ 2012, Colombian Report, 16 February http://colombiareports.com/colombia-news/news/22238-colombian-drug-gangs-agree-to-territory html - Accessed 8 March 2012 30 „New Games, Old Games‟ 2011, The Economist, 28 April http://www.economist.com/node/18620900 - Accessed 8 March 2012 31 Wikipedia (undated), Departments of Colombia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Departments of Colombia - Accessed 8 March 2012. Users should be aware that Wikipedia is a Web-based free-content encylopaedia which is written collaboratively by volunteers. The Research Service recommends that users of Wikipedia familiarise themselves with the regulatory practices which Wikipedia employs as a preventative measure against vandalism, bias and inaccuracy. 32 Given the small size of Risaralda Department, it does not seem to be labelled on any maps depicting the departments of Colombia. More information about Risaralda is available at: Encyclopaedia Britannica (undated), Risaralda http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/504422/Risaralda - Accessed 13 March 2012

Page 5 of 15 No information was found regarding Gustavo Galindo.33 Alternative spellings of the name were also searched.34

3. Is there any information regarding extortion attempts by Los Rastrojos?

Reports were found of extortion attempts by Rastrojos members, including threatening phone calls made by people claiming to belong to the group demanding money for protection.35 No reports were located of extortion attempts by Rastrojos members specifically in Villa de Leyva or Boyaca Department more generally.36

In February 2011, Insight noted that Los Rastrojos is „involved in extortion and kidnapping‟.37 Similarly, in 2010 Goldsmith reported that Los Rastrojos‟ main activities include drug trafficking, extortion and kidnapping.38 Undated information on the El Informativo de Sabanalarga39 website indicates that Los Rastrojos has made extortion attempts by telephone in Antioquia Department. According to the website, increasing numbers of people claiming to be Rastrojos members are making phone calls to Antioquia Department residents „demanding payment of money in an amount between $3,500,000 and $10,000,000‟40 to avoid family members being attacked.41 The following extortion attempts by Rastrojos members during 2012 and 2011 were found:

 On 13 February 2012, La Opinion42 reported (translated from Spanish using Google Translate) that three men claiming to work for Los Rastrojos were arrested for extortion in Ocana in Norte de Santander Department. According to the article, two of the arrested men allegedly made telephone calls to Ocana residents demanding payment of money. The report notes that during such a telephone call on

33 Nature of the research conducted included consulting internal tribunal databases, CISNET and the Factiva database. An internet search of publically available documents was also undertaken including the European Country of Origin Network, Immigration and Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, UNHCR Refworld, International Crisis Group and Factiva. A Spanish language search was also undertaken using the Google Translate service. 34 Variations of the name „Gustavo Galindo‟ were also searched including „Galindo Gustavo‟, „Commander Gustavo‟ and „Commander Galindo‟. 35 Goldsmith, A. 2010, Escobar’s Echo: Colombian Cocaine Trafficking in the 21st Century, Centre for Transnational Crime Prevention http://www.aic.gov.au/events/aic%20upcoming%20events/2010/~/media/conferences/2010- isoc/presentations/goldsmith.pdf - Accessed 7 March 2012 36 Nature of the research conducted included consulting internal tribunal databases, CISNET and the Factiva database. An internet search of publically available documents was also undertaken including the European Country of Origin Network, Immigration and Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, UNHCR Refworld, International Crisis Group and Factiva. A Spanish language search was also undertaken using the Google Translate service. 37 Insight (undated) 2011, Rastrojos, 25 February http://insightcrime.org/criminal-groups/colombia/rastrojos/item/63- rastrojos-profile - Accessed 7 March 2012 38 Goldsmith, A. 2010, Escobar’s Echo: Colombian Cocaine Trafficking in the 21st Century, Centre for Transnational Crime Prevention http://www.aic.gov.au/events/aic%20upcoming%20events/2010/~/media/conferences/2010- isoc/presentations/goldsmith.pdf - Accessed 7 March 2012 39 El Informativo de Sabanalarga website provides information on the Department of Sabanalarga including current affairs and news, social services and culture. 40 It is unclear from the article what currency is referred to. Given that the article is from a Colombian website, it is assumed that the currency referred to is Colombian Pesos. 41 „Que Hacer en Caso de Una Extorsion Telefonica‟ (What to do in the Case of Telephone Extortion) (undated), El Informativo de Sabananlarga http://www.elinformativo.org/extorsion que hacer.htm - http://translate.google.com/translate?sl=es&tl=en&js=n&prev= t&hl=en&ie=UTF- 8&layout=2&eotf=1&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.elinformativo.org%2Fextorsion que hacer htm - Accessed 9 March 2012 42 La Opinion is a newspaper published in Cucuta, Colombia. It is also distributed in Department of Norte de Santander as well as Bogata, Medillin, Bucaramanga, South of Cesar and Arauca. The newspaper is also available in Venezuela.

Page 6 of 15 31 October 2011, one of the arrested men claimed to be „Andrew Paquin‟ a „Commander of Los Rastrojos in the region.‟43 The men reportedly demanded as much as „$40 million‟ for not „endangering the life of a trader or their families.‟44 It is unclear what currency the article is referring to.

 On 29 June 2011, El Heraldo45 reported (translated from Spanish using Google Translate) that a shopkeeper had received telephone calls from a person who claimed to be a Rastrojos member and identified himself as „The German.‟ It is unclear from the translated article where in Colombia the extortion took place. According to the article, the man allegedly demanded that the shopkeeper make monthly payments of more than 1 million pesos46 and failure to do so would result in his life and business being in danger.47 The report also stated:

Sources close to the investigation indicate that some calls received by the shopkeeper had been made from prison. It appears, according to the researchers, [the] alias The German did not act alone.48

 An article by Colombia Reports from 25 July 2011 noted that police in Antiquia Department claimed that leader of Los Rastrojos, Angel de Jesus Pachello (also known as „Sebastian‟)49 killed 10 farmers in March 2011. The article stated that

43„Extorsionaban en Nombre de „Los Rastrojos‟ (Extortion on Behalf of Los Rastrojos) 2012, La Opinion, 13 February http://www.laopinion.com.co/noticias/index.php?option=com content&task=view&id=390550&Itemid=33 - http://translate.google.com/translate?sl=es&tl=en&js=n&prev= t&hl=en&ie=UTF- 8&layout=2&eotf=1&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.laopinion.com.co%2Fnoticias%2Findex.php%3Foption%3Dcom c ontent%26task%3Dview%26id%3D390550%26Itemid%3D33 - Accessed 9 March 2012. Please note: Google translations can often be poor and can contain errors – as such they give only a rough indication of the contents of a document. For any further reliance on this information, a professional translation should be obtained. 44 „Extorsionaban en Nombre de „Los Rastrojos‟ (Extortion on Behalf of Los Rastrojos) 2012, La Opinion, 13 February http://www.laopinion.com.co/noticias/index.php?option=com content&task=view&id=390550&Itemid=33 - http://translate.google.com/translate?sl=es&tl=en&js=n&prev= t&hl=en&ie=UTF- 8&layout=2&eotf=1&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.laopinion.com.co%2Fnoticias%2Findex.php%3Foption%3Dcom c ontent%26task%3Dview%26id%3D390550%26Itemid%3D33 - Accessed 9 March 2012. Please note: Google translations can often be poor and can contain errors – as such they give only a rough indication of the contents of a document. For any further reliance on this information, a professional translation should be obtained. 45 El Heraldo is Colombian newspaper based in Barranquilla. El Heraldo has the third largest circulation of all newspapers in Colombia. 46 It is unclear from the article what currency is referred to. Given that the article is from a Colombian newspaper, it is assumed the article is referring to Colombian Pesos. 47 „Menor de edad Pretendia Extorsionar a Comerciante a Nombre de „Los Rastrojos‟ (Minor Sought to Extort Merchant You Los Rastrojos) 2011, El Heraldo, 29 June http://www.elheraldo.co/node/27323 - http://translate.google.com/translate?sl=es&tl=en&js=n&prev= t&hl=en&ie=UTF- 8&layout=2&eotf=1&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.elheraldo.co%2Fnode%2F27323 - Accessed 9 March 2012. Please note: Google translations can often be poor and can contain errors – as such they give only a rough indication of the contents of a document. For any further reliance on this information, a professional translation should be obtained. 48 „Menor de edad Pretendia Extorsionar a Comerciante a Nombre de „Los Rastrojos‟ (Minor Sought to Extort Merchant You Los Rastrojos) 2011, El Heraldo, 29 June http://www.elheraldo.co/node/27323 - http://translate.google.com/translate?sl=es&tl=en&js=n&prev= t&hl=en&ie=UTF- 8&layout=2&eotf=1&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.elheraldo.co%2Fnode%2F27323 - Accessed 9 March 2012. Please note: Google translations can often be poor and can contain errors – as such they give only a rough indication of the contents of a document. For any further reliance on this information, a professional translation should be obtained. 49 It is noted that Angel de Jesus Pachello or „Sebastian‟ was murdered in July 2011. Please see: Mannon, T. 2011, „Rastrojos Drug Gang Boss Killed by Bodyguards: Police‟, Colombia Reports, 25 July http://colombiareports.com/colombia-news/news/17851-rastrojos-drug-gang-boss-killed-by-bodyguards-police html - Accessed 9 March 2012

Page 7 of 15 according to local authorities, the farmers were killed „for refusing to pay extortion fees‟ to Los Rastrojos „for harvesting illicit crops.‟50

4. Does Los Rastrojos have a political agenda?

The limited reporting available indicates that Los Rastrojos does not have a formal political ideology. With respect to whether Los Rastrojos has a political agenda, the available reporting provides two broad views. Credible sources were found stating that Los Rastrojos does not have a political agenda. By contrast, reports from one Colombian newspaper (Colombia Reports) were found indicating that Los Rastrojos has a political agenda working to infiltrate national politics to support the group‟s drug trafficking activities and that they have worked with a politician and intimidated voters to further that agenda.

On 27 February 2012, the BBC reported that Los Rastrojos „do not appear to have any apparent political agenda.‟51 Similarly, on 23 June 2011 Insight noted that according to the Colombian Government, drug-trafficking gangs – including Los Rastrojos – do not have a political agenda.52 Similarly, a letter by Elizabeth Dickinson53 published by Foreign Affairs Journal on 17 October 2011, states that bacrim54 gangs (also known as „bandas criminals‟ or „criminal gangs‟) including Los Rastrojos, „have no ideological agenda‟ as „they are focused solely on the drug trade‟.55

In contrast to the above, articles from one Colombian newspaper were found indicating that Los Rastrojos has a political agenda to further its drug trafficking activities. On 22 June 2011, Colombia Reports stated that the Liberal Party candidate for mayor of Cali in Valle de Cauca Department, Sigfredo Lopez – a former FARC hostage – is suspected of having links to Los Rastrojos and FARC. The allegation was first raised by a citizen who claimed to have evidence that Lopez had solicited support from Los Rastrojos and FARC in „various municipalities in which they enjoy influence‟.56 It is noted that Lopez denied the claims. No information was found regarding whether a formal investigation was held.57

50 Mannon, T. 2011, „Rastrojos Drug Gang Boss Killed by Bodyguards: Police‟, Colombia Reports, 25 July http://colombiareports.com/colombia-news/news/17851-rastrojos-drug-gang-boss-killed-by-bodyguards-police html - Accessed 9 March 2012 51 „Profiles: Colombia‟s Armed Groups‟ 2012, BBC, 27 February http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america- 11400950 - Accessed 5 March 2012 52 Pachico, E. 2011, „Why Talks with Colombia Drug Gangs Will Go Nowhere‟, Insight, 23 June http://insightcrime.org/insight-latest-news/item/1127-why-talks-with-colombia-drug-gangs-will-go-nowher - Accessed 5 March 2012 53 Elizabeth Dickinson is a journalist and former assistant managing editor of Foreign Policy: a daily online politics and current affairs magazine. Foreign Policy is a division of the Washington Post company. 54 Bacrim gangs is a term used by the Colombian Government to describe criminal bands, some of whom include former paramilitary fighters and are involved in drug-trafficking and extortion. Los Rastrojos is categorised as a bacrim gang. Please see: „Profiles: Colombia‟s Armed Groups‟ 2012, BBC, 27 February http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-11400950 - Accessed 5 March 2012 55 Dickinson, E. 2011, „How Colombia‟s Criminals are Bullying and Buying Their Way Into Office‟, 17 October, Foreign Affairs Journal http://www.foreignaffairs.com/features/letters-from/how-colombias-criminals-are-bullying- and-buying-their-way-into-o?page=show – Accessed 5 March 2012 56 Heyden, T. 2011, „Ex-FARC hostage accused of guerrilla, narco links‟, Colombia Reports, 22 June http://colombiareports.com/colombia-news/news/17134-ex-farc-hostage-linked-to-farc-narco-traffickers html - Accessed 24 January 2012 57 Heyden, T. 2011, „Ex-FARC hostage accused of guerrilla, narco links‟, Colombia Reports, 22 June http://colombiareports.com/colombia-news/news/17134-ex-farc-hostage-linked-to-farc-narco-traffickers html - Accessed 24 January 2012

Page 8 of 15 More significantly, in a separate report from 13 April 2010, Colombia Reports stated that Los Rastrojos is suspected of „working to infiltrate national politics.‟58According to the article, Los Rastrojos „worked to promote certain candidates in Colombia‟s congressional elections last month [March 2010] to protect the gang‟s control of the multi-billion dollar drug trade.‟59 The article notes that the Colombian voting news site, Votebein, gives numerous examples of suspected „foul-play and influence‟ in the election by Rastrojos:

The [Votebein] website says it has sources who claim that Los Rastrojos financed candidates from political party the PIN, both in Nariño and other departments, such as Cauca and Valle.

…

The [Votebein] website cites reports of meetings convened by Los Rastrojos with residents of various towns across the department, in which the gang "suggested" which candidate local residents should vote for.

The governor of Nariño, Antonio Navarro Wolf, confirmed that such meetings took place.

…

Police intelligence reports backed the governor's complaints, according to Votebien, that there were meetings to pressure voters from towns across the Pacific coast of Nariño in favor of Lopez.60

5. Is there information regarding whether Los Rastrojos has infiltrated the police force?

Sources consulted indicate that Los Rastrojos has infiltrated the police force in some areas of Colombia. News reports were found regarding police corruption and collusion with Rastrojos members during 2011 in the Antioquia, Choco and Valle del Cauca Departments. It is noted that no reports were found of collusion between Los Rastrojos and police specifically in Villa de Leyva or Boyaca Department more widely.

 On 15 August 2011, Insight reported that documents were found detailing how branches of the security forces in Bajo Cauca in Antioquia Department, received regular payments from Los Rastrojos in „return for allowing the group to operate with

58 Borkani, B. 2010, „Los Rastrojos Gang Infiltrates Colombian Elections‟, Colombia Reports, 13 April http://colombiareports.com/colombia-news/news/9124-los-rastrojos-gang-infiltrates-colombian-elections.html - Accessed 8 March 2012. It is noted that this Colombia Reports article cites the Votebein website (in Spanish) as the original source of information. The original Votebein article has not been quoted as the Google Translation is poor. It can be accessed at: „Rastrojos Dejan Su Rastro en las Urnas de Narino‟ (Stubble Leave their Mark on the Ballot in Narino) 2010, Votebien, 12 April http://www.terra.com.co/elecciones 2010/votebien/html/vbn799-rastrojos-dejan- su-rastro-en-las-urnas-de-narino.htm - http://translate.google.com/translate?sl=es&tl=en&js=n&prev= t&hl=en&ie=UTF- 8&layout=2&eotf=1&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.terra.com.co%2Felecciones 2010%2Fvotebien%2Fhtml%2Fvbn79 9-rastrojos-dejan-su-rastro-en-las-urnas-de-narino.htm - Accessed 13 March 2012. Please note: Google translations can often be poor and can contain errors – as such they give only a rough indication of the contents of a document. For any further reliance on this information, a professional translation should be obtained. 59 Borkani, B. 2010, „Los Rastrojos Gang Infiltrates Colombian Elections‟, Colombia Reports, 13 April http://colombiareports.com/colombia-news/news/9124-los-rastrojos-gang-infiltrates-colombian-elections.html - Accessed 8 March 2012 60 Borkani, B. 2010, „Los Rastrojos Gang Infiltrates Colombian Elections‟, Colombia Reports, 13 April http://colombiareports.com/colombia-news/news/9124-los-rastrojos-gang-infiltrates-colombian-elections.html - Accessed 8 March 2012

Page 9 of 15 impunity‟.61 The article quotes information published by the Colombian newspaper, El Tiempo62:

According to details published by El Tiempo, the local office of the police intelligence agency, known as DAS, received 15 million pesos (about $8,400) [in bribes] in January alone. This is the same sum received by the military's anti-kidnapping unit, known as GAULA. The police station in Caucasia, one of Antioquia's most violent municipalities, received double that amount, 30 million pesos (about $16,800). The books also name individuals on the Rastrojos' payroll: one police officer in the anti-narcotics unit, for example, was allegedly paid two million pesos ($1,120) between November 2010 and January 2011.63

 On 4 August 2011, Colombia Reports stated that anti-narcotics agents arrested 20 Rastrojos members – including seven policemen and three soldiers – in Antioquia Department. According to the article, „authorities say that the members of military and police were on the same payroll as members of the [Rastrojos] gang‟ and were reportedly paid „$1,130 dollars a month‟ by a leader of Los Rastrojos, Angel de Jesus Pacheco, also known as „Sebastian.‟64

 On 30 May 2011, Excelsio65 (translated from Spanish using Google Translate) and Colombia Reports stated that 37 people were detained in Choco Department for allegedly belonging to Los Rastrojos.66 According to the Colombia Reports article, among those detained were seven policemen, two investigators from the Technical Investigation Team and two members of the Colombian Navy as well as a secretary to the municipal court in Bahia Solano in Choco Department.67

 According to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, on 19 May 2011 in Valle del Cauca Department, three police agents and a prosecutor accused of selling

61 Pachico, E. 2011, „Colombia‟s New Generation Drug Gangs: The Power to Corrupt‟, Insight, 15 August http://insightcrime.org/insight-latest-news/item/1401-colombias-new-generation-drug-gangs-the-power-to-corrupt - Accessed 8 March 2012 62 The original Spanish language El Tiempo article has not be cited as the English language translation (using the Google Translate service) is poor. It can be accessed at: „Los Uniformados en la Nomina del Narco Alias Sebastian‟ (The Soldiers on the Payroll of Narco Alias Sebastian) 2011, El Tiempo, 11 August http://www.eltiempo.com/justicia/los-uniformados-en-la-nomina-del-narco-alias-sebastian 10141027-4 - http://translate.google.com/translate?sl=es&tl=en&js=n&prev= t&hl=en&ie=UTF- 8&layout=2&eotf=1&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eltiempo.com%2Fjusticia%2Flos-uniformados-en-la-nomina-del- narco-alias-sebastian 10141027-4 - Accessed 13 March 2012. 63 Pachico, E. 2011, „Colombia‟s New Generation Drug Gangs: The Power to Corrupt‟, Insight, 15 August http://insightcrime.org/insight-latest-news/item/1401-colombias-new-generation-drug-gangs-the-power-to-corrupt - Accessed 8 March 2012 64 Manker, S. 2011, „Northern Colombia Soldiers, Police Arrested for Drug Ties‟, Colombia Reports, 4 August http://colombiareports.com/colombia-news/news/18092-anti-narcotics-agents-arrest-members-of-military-and- police-in-northern-colombia html - Accessed 8 March 2012 65 Excelsio is a newspaper reporting on news and current affairs in the Department of Boyaca. 66 „Capturan a 37 Presuntos Integrantes de los Rastrojos‟ (Captured 37 Suspected Members of the Rastrojos) 2011, Excelsio, 30 May http://www.excelsio.net/2011/05/capturan-37-presuntos-integrantes-de html - http://translate.google.com/translate?sl=es&tl=en&js=n&prev= t&hl=en&ie=UTF- 8&layout=2&eotf=1&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.excelsio net%2F2011%2F05%2Fcapturan-37-presuntos- integrantes-de.html - Accessed 8 March 2012. Please note: Google translations can often be poor and can contain errors – as such they give only a rough indication of the contents of a document. For any further reliance on this information, a professional translation should be obtained. 67 Heyden, T. 2011, „Authorities Capture 37 involved in „Los Rastrojos‟ Network, 13 Colombian Officials‟, Colombia Reports, 30 May http://colombiareports.com/colombia-news/news/16619-37-involved-in-los-rastrojos- network-captured-13-of-them-colombian-authorities.html - Accessed 8 March 2012

Page 10 of 15 information to Los Rastrojos were arrested.68 The report also notes that during 2011 in the cities of Tulua, Riofio, Bolivar and Trujilo in Valle del Cauca Department, 12 police officers were arrested for collaborating with Los Rastrojos in exchange for monthly payments.69

68 UN High Commissioner for Human Rights 2011, Annual Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights: Addendum – Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on the Situation of Human Rights in Colombia, 31 January, p. 25 – Accessed 31 January 2012 69 UN High Commissioner for Human Rights 2011, Annual Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights: Addendum – Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on the Situation of Human Rights in Colombia, 31 January, p. 25 – Accessed 31 January 2012

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