Black Eagles
Encyclopedia
Black Eagles is a term describing a series of Colombia
n right wing, counter-revolutionary, paramilitary
organizations made up of new and preexisting paramilitary forces, some of which were part of the demobilized Self-Defense Units of Colombia (AUC). These were first considered to be a third generation of paramilitary groups
but there are Colombian military reports suggesting the Águilas Negras are intermediaries in the drug business between the guerrilla and drug cartels outside Colombia.
s, racketeering
and kidnapping
s. They have also attacked guerrilla members and suspected sympathizers. One individual who has been accused of leading the Black Eagles is former AUC leader Vicente Castaño
, who became a fugitive after his demobilization when he was judicially accused of murdering his own brother, paramilitary leader Carlos Castaño
.
and Ocaña in the Norte de Santander Department near the border with Venezuela
in March/April 2006, along with other groups initially identifying themselves as "Eagles" of different colors, including "Red Eagles", "Golden Eagles" and "Blue Eagles". Other criminal groups using the Black Eagle label expanded their operations in other departments of Colombia
, mainly in Santander
, Cesar
, Caqueta and Antioquia
. On October 18, 2006 President
Álvaro Uribe
openly ordered their detention. The government also ordered the creation of a new Search Bloc
against the Black Eagles and classified this organization as a gang of former paramilitaries.
, the new criminal organizations may have up to 4,000 members distributed into 22 identified groups in 200 municipalities
and 22 of the 32 departments
. The number of groups could also be 34, due to their capacity to hide, and be black.
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
n right wing, counter-revolutionary, paramilitary
Paramilitary
A paramilitary is a force whose function and organization are similar to those of a professional military, but which is not considered part of a state's formal armed forces....
organizations made up of new and preexisting paramilitary forces, some of which were part of the demobilized Self-Defense Units of Colombia (AUC). These were first considered to be a third generation of paramilitary groups
Paramilitarism in Colombia
Paramilitarism in Colombia refers to the origins and activities of far right-wing paramilitary groups in Colombia during the 20th century.Right-wing paramilitary groups are the parties considered to be most responsible for human rights violations in Colombia during the later half of the current...
but there are Colombian military reports suggesting the Águilas Negras are intermediaries in the drug business between the guerrilla and drug cartels outside Colombia.
Drugs
The Black Eagles are closely associated with drug cartels and are involved in drug trafficking activities, extortionExtortion
Extortion is a criminal offence which occurs when a person unlawfully obtains either money, property or services from a person, entity, or institution, through coercion. Refraining from doing harm is sometimes euphemistically called protection. Extortion is commonly practiced by organized crime...
s, racketeering
Racket (crime)
A racket is an illegal business, usually run as part of organized crime. Engaging in a racket is called racketeering.Several forms of racket exist. The best-known is the protection racket, in which criminals demand money from businesses in exchange for the service of "protection" against crimes...
and kidnapping
Kidnapping
In criminal law, kidnapping is the taking away or transportation of a person against that person's will, usually to hold the person in false imprisonment, a confinement without legal authority...
s. They have also attacked guerrilla members and suspected sympathizers. One individual who has been accused of leading the Black Eagles is former AUC leader Vicente Castaño
Vicente Castaño
José Vicente Castaño aka El Profe is a Colombian paramilitary former leader of the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia , a right-wing Colombian paramilitary organization...
, who became a fugitive after his demobilization when he was judicially accused of murdering his own brother, paramilitary leader Carlos Castaño
Carlos Castaño
Carlos Castaño Gil was the founder of the Peasant Self-Defense Forces of Córdoba and Urabá , an extreme right paramilitary organization in Colombia...
.
Origins
The Black Eagles first appeared in the northern Colombian cities of CúcutaCúcuta
Cúcuta is a Colombian city, capital of Norte de Santander, in the northeast of the country. Due to its proximity to the Colombian-Venezuelan border, Cúcuta is an important commercial center. The city has the constitutional category of Special District. It is located at the most active...
and Ocaña in the Norte de Santander Department near the border with Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
in March/April 2006, along with other groups initially identifying themselves as "Eagles" of different colors, including "Red Eagles", "Golden Eagles" and "Blue Eagles". Other criminal groups using the Black Eagle label expanded their operations in other departments of Colombia
Departments of Colombia
Colombia is an unitary republic formed by thirty-two departments and a Capital District . Each department has a Governor and a Department Assembly , elected by popular vote for a four-year period. The governor cannot be re-elected in consecutive periods...
, mainly in Santander
Santander Department
Santander is a department of Colombia. Santander inherited the name of one of the nine original states of the United States of Colombia. It is located in the central northern part of the country, east of the Magdalena River, bordered to the south and southeast by Boyacá, to the northeast by Norte...
, Cesar
Cesar Department
Cesar Department or simply Cesar is a department of Colombia located in the north of the country in the Caribbean region, bordering to the north with the Department of La Guajira, to the west with the Department of Magdalena and Department of Bolivar, to the south with Department of Santander, to...
, Caqueta and Antioquia
Antioquia Department
Antioquia is one of the 32 departments of Colombia, located in the central northwestern part of Colombia with a narrow section that borders the Caribbean Sea. Most of its territory is mountainous with some valleys, much of which is part of the Andes mountain range...
. On October 18, 2006 President
President of Colombia
The President of Colombia is the head of state and head of government of the Republic of Colombia. The office of president was established upon the ratification of the Constitution of 1819, by the Congress of Angostura, convened in December 1819, when Colombia was part of "la Gran Colombia"...
Álvaro Uribe
Álvaro Uribe
Alvaro Uribe Vélez was the 58th President of Colombia, from 2002 to 2010. In August 2010 he was appointed Vice-chairman of the UN panel investigating the Gaza flotilla raid....
openly ordered their detention. The government also ordered the creation of a new Search Bloc
Search Bloc
The Search Bloc was a Special Operations unit of the National Police of Colombia .-History:...
against the Black Eagles and classified this organization as a gang of former paramilitaries.
Organization
According to Revista SemanaRevista Semana
Semana or Revista Semana is a Colombian-based weekly magazine. It was founded in 1946 by Alberto Lleras Camargo , but was shut down after a controversial cover depicting Cuban leader Fidel Castro.In 1983, journalist Felipe López Caballero re-founded the magazine...
, the new criminal organizations may have up to 4,000 members distributed into 22 identified groups in 200 municipalities
Municipalities of Colombia
The Municipalities of Colombia are decentralized subdivisions of the Republic of Colombia. Municipalities make up most of the departments of Colombia with 1,119 municipalities...
and 22 of the 32 departments
Departments of Colombia
Colombia is an unitary republic formed by thirty-two departments and a Capital District . Each department has a Governor and a Department Assembly , elected by popular vote for a four-year period. The governor cannot be re-elected in consecutive periods...
. The number of groups could also be 34, due to their capacity to hide, and be black.
Groups
- Águilas Negras de Catatumbo: operating in CúcutaCúcutaCúcuta is a Colombian city, capital of Norte de Santander, in the northeast of the country. Due to its proximity to the Colombian-Venezuelan border, Cúcuta is an important commercial center. The city has the constitutional category of Special District. It is located at the most active...
, ChinácotaChinácotaChinácota is a small town and municipality located in the Department of Norte de Santander in Colombia, South America. This department is located on the North-Eastern region of the country, near the border with Venezuela...
, El TarraEl TarraEl Tarra is a Colombian municipality and town located in the department of North Santander.-References:...
, TibúTibúTibú is a Colombian municipality and town located in the department of North Santander.-History:The area of present day Tibú was established as a camp basement by oil companies who first arrived in the area in 1945. On March 8, 1945 the Council of Cúcuta approved the creation of the corregimiento...
, El ZuliaEl ZuliaEl Zulia is a municipality of the Norte de Santander Department in Colombia. A portion of this municipality is part of the Metropolitan Area of Cúcuta.-References:...
and Puerto SantanderPuerto SantanderPuerto Santander is a town and smallest municipality in the Norte de Santander Department in northeastern Colombia. It is part of the rural zone of Metropolitan Area of Cúcuta and it is localed north of Cúcuta, completely surrounded by the municipality of Cúcuta and the border with...
in Norte de Santander Department, with influence over the towns of OcañaOcaña, ColombiaOcaña is a town and municipality in the Colombian Department of Norte de Santander. Ocaña is the second largest populated center of this department. It played an important role during the Independence of Colombia from the Spanish monarchy.-History:...
and AguachicaAguachicaAguachica, is a small city and municipality in the southern region of the Cesar Department, Colombia. It was officially founded on August 16, 1748 by José Lázaro de Rivera.-Geography:...
this last town located in the Cesar DepartmentCesar DepartmentCesar Department or simply Cesar is a department of Colombia located in the north of the country in the Caribbean region, bordering to the north with the Department of La Guajira, to the west with the Department of Magdalena and Department of Bolivar, to the south with Department of Santander, to...
. (Between 15 and 360 members) - Banda Santander: operating in RiohachaRiohachaRiohacha, Rio Hacha or Rio de la Hacha , is a city in the Riohacha Municipality in the northern Caribbean Region of Colombia by the mouth of the Ranchería River and the Caribbean sea, capital city of the La Guajira Department. Founded by conquistador Nikolaus Federmann in 1535, Riohacha was named...
and Maicao, La Guajira Department (Approx. 30 members). - Los RastrojosLos RastrojosLos Rastrojos is a Colombian neo-paramilitary, armed group engaged in the Colombian armed conflict...
: operating in Cauca DepartmentCauca DepartmentCauca is a Department of Colombia. Located in the south-western part of the country, facing the Pacific Ocean to the west, the Valle del Cauca Department to the north, Tolima Department to the northeast, Huila Department to the east and the Nariño Department to the south, covering a total area of...
and Valle del Cauca. (Approx. 1200 members). - Nueva Generación: Operating in Nariño DepartmentNariño DepartmentNariño is a department of Colombia named after Antonio Nariño. It is in the west of the country, bordering Ecuador and the Pacific Ocean.Its capital is Pasto, other important cities include Tumaco, Ipiales.-Municipalities:# Albán# Aldana# Ancuya...
. (Approx. 300 members) - Mano Negra: Operating in the Putumayo DepartmentPutumayo DepartmentPutumayo is a department of Colombia. It is in the south-west of the country, bordering Ecuador and Peru. Its capital is Mocoa.The word putumayo comes from the Quechua language. The verb putuy means "to spring forth" or "to burst out", and mayo is a variant of mayu, meaning river...
. (Unknown number of members)
External links
- USA Today: Colombia's new armed groups - Crisis Group Latin America Report N°20, 10 May 2007
- Amid Elections, Armed Groups Hold Colombian Town under the Gun By Michael Deibert, Inter Press Service, June 1, 2010
- http://piratasdelared.com/owneds/aguilas.txt LuzlSec CHINGA LA MIGRA BULLETIN #1 6/23/2011, AZDPS, Members of Aguilas Negras, Colombia