The capture and extradition of Dairo Úsuga David (“Otoniel”), head of the Clan del Golfo, has been the greatest achievement of the government of Iván Duque in terms of the hunt for so-called “high-value strategic targets.”
This is what the main bosses of organized crime and terrorism are called in police and military jargon, driving multiple illegal activities, and whose arrests or deaths are a priority.
In addition to the arrest of “Otoniel”, there were other strategic targets that were killed by the authorities in the midst of operations: from the Clan del Golfo were “Marihuano” and “Pueblo”, members of the leadership of that cartel.
Of other organizations, the deaths of “Matamba”, of the Cordillera Sur gang; “Chucho Mercancía”, by “los Pachenca”; “Cain”, from “los Caparros”; “Guacho”, from the Oliver Sinisterra front of the FARC dissidents; and “Uriel”, from the ELN.
Some of the strategic targets died in different circumstances, such as attacks allegedly carried out by their enemies in Venezuela.
Among them are several chiefs of the Second Marquetalia, such as “el Paisa”, “Jesús Santrich” and “Romaña”; as well as “Gentil Duarte”, leader of the Farc dissidence that rivals the previous one.
Despite these blows, the list of pending is extensive. Today the most persecuted targets are the top leaders of the Second Marquetalia (“Iván Márquez” and “Zarco Aldinever”); from the ELN Central Command (“Gabino”, “Pablo Beltrán”, “Antonio García” and “Pablito”); and the Clan del Golfo (“Chiquito Malo”, “Siopas” and “Gonzalito”).
It is difficult for all of them to be hunted before the end of President Duque’s term, this August 7, so their files will remain on the desk of the next head of state.