Ernesto Báez
Encyclopedia
Iván Roberto Duque Gaviria aka Ernesto Báez (born May 9, 1955 in Aguadas
, Caldas
) is a Colombia
n paramilitary
leader former member of the demobilized United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia
(AUC). Duque-Gaviria graduated as a lawyer from the Universidad de Caldas.
Duque Gaviria began his career as a member of the Colombian Liberal Party
, he was democratically elected as Mayor of the municipality of La Merced
and later worked for the Empresas Públicas de Manizales. In 1982 founded the Asociación Campesina de Ganaderos y Agricultores del Magdalena Medio, ACDEGAM (Ranchers and Farmers of the Middle Magdalena Peasant Association) in Puerto Boyaca
presumably as a facade for the creation of paramilitary groups for the troubled region. Duque Gaviria became an adviser to this organization and was later arrested in connection to paramilitary organizations accused by the Attorney General of Colombia
. He was arrested and imprisoned at La Modelo Maximum Security Prison
under assassination and conformation of illegal paramilitary groups charges.
, Carlos Castaño
who was at the moment developing the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia
(AUC) Duque joined him and went clandestine under the alias "Ernesto Baez". Castaño and Baez decided to create a major group for the Middle Magdalena Region called "Bolivar Central Bloc (Bloque Central Bolívar, BCB) with Baez as commander. After sometime of cordiality between Castaño and Baez their views towards each other resented to the point of becoming enemies.
Baez disliked how Castaño became the de facto speaker of the organization and also had differences with another paramilitary with affinities with Castaño with the alias of "Doble Cero" commander of the Metro Bloc after the killing of two members of the BCB in 2002 in an internal cleansing. This episode led to Baez' decision to work closely with Diego Fernando Murillo Bejarano (aka "Adolfo Paz" aka "Don Berna") and Castano's brother Vicente Castaño
. In 2004 Vicente ordered the assassination of his own brother Carlos and "Doble Cero".
During the AUC demobilization Baez was granted immunity and political status by the government of Colombia
as member of the AUC and later surrendered under the Law of Peace and Justice" Ley de Justicia y Paz) He is currently serving time in a Colombian prison for paramilitarism.
Aguadas, Caldas
Aguadas is a town and municipality in the Colombian Department of Caldas....
, Caldas
Caldas Department
Caldas is a department of Colombia named after Colombian patriotic figure Francisco José de Caldas. It's part of the Paisa Region and its capital is Manizales. The population of Caldas is 1,030,062, and its area is 7,291 km²...
) is a Colombia
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 paramilitary
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...
leader former member of the demobilized United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia
United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia
The United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia was created as an umbrella organization of regional far-right...
(AUC). Duque-Gaviria graduated as a lawyer from the Universidad de Caldas.
Duque Gaviria began his career as a member of the Colombian Liberal Party
Colombian Liberal Party
The Colombian Liberal Party is a center-left party in Colombia that adheres to social democracy and social liberalism.The Party was founded in 1848 and, together with the Colombian Conservative Party, subsequently became one of the two main political forces in the country for over a century.After...
, he was democratically elected as Mayor of the municipality of La Merced
La Merced, Caldas
La Merced is a town and municipality in the Colombian Department of Caldas....
and later worked for the Empresas Públicas de Manizales. In 1982 founded the Asociación Campesina de Ganaderos y Agricultores del Magdalena Medio, ACDEGAM (Ranchers and Farmers of the Middle Magdalena Peasant Association) in Puerto Boyaca
Puerto Boyacá
Puerto Boyacá is a Colombian river-port town and municipality by the Magdalena River in the Boyacá Department, where is also considered a Special Handling Zone due to its port status. Its main industries are oil exploration and processing...
presumably as a facade for the creation of paramilitary groups for the troubled region. Duque Gaviria became an adviser to this organization and was later arrested in connection to paramilitary organizations accused by the Attorney General of Colombia
Attorney General of Colombia
The Office of the Attorney General of Colombia is the Colombian institution part of the Colombian judicial branch of Government with administrative autonomy designed to prosecute offenders, investigate crimes, review judicial processes and accuse penal law infractions against judges and courts of...
. He was arrested and imprisoned at La Modelo Maximum Security Prison
La Modelo
La Modelo is a prison in Bogotá, Colombia. With a population of 11,000 inmates, the facility is known for its violence. The prison's north wing is filled with left-wing rebels while the south wing is filled with right-wing government supporters and paramilitaries. The area in between these two...
under assassination and conformation of illegal paramilitary groups charges.
AUC commander
After being released from jail Duque met with Peasant Self-Defense Forces of Córdoba and UrabáPeasant Self-Defense Forces of Córdoba and Urabá
Autodefensas Campesinas de Córdoba y Urabá , Spanish for Peasant Self-Defense Forces of Córdoba and Urabá, was a paramilitary group formed in northwestern Colombia, operating mainly in the Antioquia Department and Córdoba Department...
, 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...
who was at the moment developing the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia
United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia
The United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia was created as an umbrella organization of regional far-right...
(AUC) Duque joined him and went clandestine under the alias "Ernesto Baez". Castaño and Baez decided to create a major group for the Middle Magdalena Region called "Bolivar Central Bloc (Bloque Central Bolívar, BCB) with Baez as commander. After sometime of cordiality between Castaño and Baez their views towards each other resented to the point of becoming enemies.
Baez disliked how Castaño became the de facto speaker of the organization and also had differences with another paramilitary with affinities with Castaño with the alias of "Doble Cero" commander of the Metro Bloc after the killing of two members of the BCB in 2002 in an internal cleansing. This episode led to Baez' decision to work closely with Diego Fernando Murillo Bejarano (aka "Adolfo Paz" aka "Don Berna") and Castano's brother 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...
. In 2004 Vicente ordered the assassination of his own brother Carlos and "Doble Cero".
During the AUC demobilization Baez was granted immunity and political status by the government of Colombia
Government of Colombia
The government of Colombiais a republic with separation of powers into executive, judicial and legislative branches.Its legislature has a congress,its judiciary has a supreme court, andits executive branch has a president....
as member of the AUC and later surrendered under the Law of Peace and Justice" Ley de Justicia y Paz) He is currently serving time in a Colombian prison for paramilitarism.