Alexander Díaz, alias “Calarcá Córdoba”, is the commander of the general staff of the blocks and the front (the mayor of Estado de Bloche Frente – Embf), a Colombian criminal organization whose roots go up to the armed movement of armed guerrilla warfare of the country.
History
Calarcá Córdoba seal The revolutionary armed forces of Colombia (Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia – Stuff) In 1998 at the age of 16, as part of the 40th front of the city of Uibe, in the department of Meta. At the time, the FARC was the oldest and most important guerrilla group in Colombia, and more broadly in Latin America, warning the Colombian government by removal, extortion and participation in drug trade at different levels.
Calarcá Córdoba then served in the special troops of the eastern block, known as Tropas Especial in Spanish. These FARC units were known for more complicated military efforts, such as urban operations, information collection and the effort of particularly sensitive attacks. Calarcá Córdoba has progressed in the ranks, becoming third commander of the 40th front of the FARC by 2013.
In 2016, he entered the peace process undertaken during the government of President Juan Manuel Santos. He was initially parked in Meta, but quickly abandoned the process and took up arms, commanded by Miguel Botache Santillana, alias “Nice Duarte. “Duarte would continue to train central general staff (mayor of Estado Central – EMC), a federation of FARC dissident groups which he co-a managed with born Gregorio Vera Fernández, alias “Iván Mordisco“, Which controlled a large part of the drug trade between Colombia and Venezuela.
After Gentil Duarte was killed in 2022, Calarcá Córdoba took command of the Jorge Suárez Briceño de l'EMC block. That same year, when rumors were swirling on Iván Mordisco possible deathCalarcá was briefly considered his potential successor To direct the wider dissident Farc network, although these reports were ultimately proved to be false.
When Gustavo Petro became president of Colombia in 2022, the EMC undertook peace negotiations with the government as part of a policy known as Total peace (Total Paz). An official dialogue table was created in October 2023, with structures under the command of Calarcá.
However, in April 2024, Petro suspended The ceasefire with the EMC in the departments of Cauca, Valle del Cauca and Nariño, triggering an internal split within the organization. A faction, faithful to Iván Mordisco, refused to continue the talks unless the cease-fire was reinstated in all regions. Another faction, led by Calarcá, supported continuous negotiations despite the partial suspension.
This split gave birth to a new faction: the ambf, made up of several sub-structures, including Jorge Suárez Briceño Bloc, Magdalena Medio Bloc and Commander Raúl Reyes Front. Calarcá leads both the Jorge Suárez Briceño and the EMBF block as a whole.
Criminal activity
Calarcá and the Jorge Suárez Briceño block are strongly involved in drug trafficking in southern Colombia, in particular in the Amazonian departments. The region accounts For around 5% of Colombia Coca culture for cocaine production and is located near the key traffic to Venezuela and the tri-frontricious area with Peru and Brazil.
In addition to drug trafficking, the group is involved in illegal mining. It controls areas rich in gold and coltan deposits in the Amazon region and also operates in mining areas in northeast antioquia.
The confrontations of the EMBF with rival groups have led to serious humanitarian consequences, in particular the recruitment of children – in particular young Aboriginal people – confinement and movement restrictions on local populations, forced displacement, threats and murders of social leaders, and the contamination of the territory with anti -personal mines and improvised explosive devices.
Geography
The Jorge Suárez Briceño block, that Calarcá commands, operates Mainly in the Yari plains of Caquetá, as well as in the South meta, and certain parts of Guaviare and Putumayo.
Allies and enemies
Despite their former alliance as EMC leaders, Mordisco and Calarcá are locked in an intense conflict in several parts of southern Colombia. The Colombian mediator's office has issuing Warnings of the clashes between the two dissident factions Farc in Caquetá, Amazonas, Meta, Putamayo, Guaviare, Cauca and Huila.
Calarcá has maintained alliances with other ambf leaders despite the geographic distance. This is in particular a commander who uses the alias “Richard Suárez”; Javier Alonso Velosa, alias “Jhon Mechas”; and Carlos Eduardo García Tellez, alias “Andrey Aventaño; All belong to the Magdalena Medio Bloc, which operates in the north of Colombia.
Prospects
It is unlikely that the Calarcá group will disarm within the framework of the Total Peace Process and seem rather ready to continue its conflict with the Faction of Mordisco.
The EMBF is likely to try to extend its territorial control over the crucial areas for drug trafficking and illegal extraction. The group also controls large forests of forest where illegal forestry is widespread and the benefits of extracting journalists. While Calarcá and Mordisco have previously engaged to forbid Deforestation as a gesture of goodwill during peace talks, the resurgence of violence could lead the two factions to accelerate operations to operate illegal exploitation to finance their activities.
