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).