In Colombia, the so-called Gulf Clan, a narco-paramilitary group with a presence in different regions of the north of the country, announced a pistol plan, a mechanism for the execution of selective or indiscriminate homicides against military officials and also against organizations and social leaders. Our colleague Hernan Tobar brings us the details.
00:00And in Colombia, the so-called Gulf Klan, an arco-paramilitary group with presence in different regions of the north of the country,
00:07announced a pistol plan, a mechanism for the execution of selective or indiscriminate homicides against military officials
00:14and also against organizations and social leaders.
00:17Our colleague Hernando Bar brings us the details.
00:25Andres Chica, a social leader, was forced to leave the Department of Córdoba.
00:30Where he is from, after receiving death threats from the narco-paramilitary group, Gulf Klan,
00:35which targeted him for protecting and denouncing the violation of the communities and the rights of the ethnic and peasant populations fighting for their lands in this department.
00:48Precisely because of situations in which, as a human rights movement or as defenders or leaders or activists in the territory,
00:54we defend, promote and denounce acts that violate human rights or infringe international humanitarian law.
01:00It happened with me and it has happened with many.
01:03I am in Bogota since 2019 right after the atrocious crime of the leader Maria del Pilar occurred in Córdoba.
01:09Social leaders are the most violated in the framework of the armed conflict in Colombia
01:21and some members of parliament of the Historia Pact.
01:23The governing party denounced the most recent murder of Alberto Quintero,
01:28a union and social leader and activist of the Colombia Humana Movement in the Department of Cesar,
01:33who was murdered by the Gulf Klan in the framework of the pistol plan.
01:36The national government during these years extended its hand,
01:43precisely seeking peace scenarios, coordinating different options.
01:47Unfortunately, the response of some has not been as expected,
01:50and we have seen an increase in this type of violence.
01:58The Gulf Klan is a stronghold of the former paramilitary organization,
02:04United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia,
02:07and has expanded its presence on Colombia's northern coast,
02:10profiting from illegal mining and drug trafficking.
02:13The executive sought to sustain a dialogue process that has been suspended
02:16and is worsening with the execution of a new pistol plan to attack the security forces.
02:21They are shown as part of a social network with which they feel support in different areas of the country,
02:32but currently the Colombian government has decided to maintain military and operational actions against the Gulf Klan,
02:37including operations linked to high-value targets such as leaders of the Gulf Klan.
02:41And they have also resumed the practice of bombing against this armed group.
02:49In this sense, one response of the Gulf Klan has been to activate this pistol plan in the areas where they operate,
02:54arguing that there is little will from the Petro government to advance towards total peace with them.
02:58A panorama that tends to worsen as the days go by,
03:10since the country is going through a pre-electoral year and a last year of the Petro government.
03:14For some analysts, the possibilities of peace with this armed group seem more than distant.
