Romaña
Encyclopedia
Henry Castellanos Garzón aka "Romaña" is a Colombia
n guerrilla leader, of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia
. Castellanos Garzón is a member of the Estado Mayor and the Commander of several Eastern Bloc of the FARC-EP fronts.
According to the United States government, Castellanos Garzón had been involved in drug trafficking for the FARC since the mid-1980s. The US alleges he participated in setting and implementing the FARC’s cocaine
policies directing and controlling the production, manufacture, and distribution of hundreds of tons of cocaine to the United States
and Europe
; the "taxation" of the drug trade in Colombia to raise funds for the FARC; and the murder of hundreds of people who violated or interfered with the FARC’s cocaine policies. They also allege he once maintained a stockpile of five tons of cocaine that was picked up by "Negro Acacio" of the 16th Front. The U.S. Department of State offered a reward of up to US$2.5 million dollars for information leading to his arrest and/or conviction.
Castellanos Garzón was also wanted by Colombian authorities for the kidnapping of the former mayor of Soacha
, Cundinamarca
and his brother in 1997. Both brothers were later freed.
As of November 2011 Romaña was still alive and was alleged to move freely between Colombia and Venezuela, according to a former Colombian president.
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 guerrilla leader, of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia
Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia
The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia – People's Army is a Marxist–Leninist revolutionary guerrilla organization based in Colombia which is involved in the ongoing Colombian armed conflict, currently involved in drug dealing and crimes against the civilians..FARC-EP is a peasant army which...
. Castellanos Garzón is a member of the Estado Mayor and the Commander of several Eastern Bloc of the FARC-EP fronts.
According to the United States government, Castellanos Garzón had been involved in drug trafficking for the FARC since the mid-1980s. The US alleges he participated in setting and implementing the FARC’s cocaine
Cocaine
Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...
policies directing and controlling the production, manufacture, and distribution of hundreds of tons of cocaine to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
; the "taxation" of the drug trade in Colombia to raise funds for the FARC; and the murder of hundreds of people who violated or interfered with the FARC’s cocaine policies. They also allege he once maintained a stockpile of five tons of cocaine that was picked up by "Negro Acacio" of the 16th Front. The U.S. Department of State offered a reward of up to US$2.5 million dollars for information leading to his arrest and/or conviction.
Castellanos Garzón was also wanted by Colombian authorities for the kidnapping of the former mayor of Soacha
Soacha
Soacha is the city of Colombia on the southern edge of Bogotá, the country's capital. It has an important industrial zone and is home to mostly working class families.-Demographics:...
, Cundinamarca
Cundinamarca Department
- Origin of the name :The name of Cundinamarca comes from Kundur marqa, an indigenous expression, probably derived from Quechua. Meaning "Condor's Nest", it was used in pre-Columbian times by the natives of the Magdalena Valley to refer to the nearby highlands....
and his brother in 1997. Both brothers were later freed.
Presumed death in September 2010
On September 23, 2010, the Colombian press reported that Romaña was killed on September 22 during "Operation Sodom"- the same military operation that has been credited with killing FARC commander Mono Jojoy. Colombian authorites could not confirm his death nor find his body.As of November 2011 Romaña was still alive and was alleged to move freely between Colombia and Venezuela, according to a former Colombian president.