Narcoterrorism , in its original context, is understood to refer to the attempts of narcotics traffickers to influence the policies of a government or a society through violence and intimidation , and to hinder the enforcement of anti-drug laws by the systematic threat or use of such violence. As with most definitions of terrorism, it typically only refers to non-state actors .
24-711: The Extraditables was a narcoterrorist organization created by Colombian drug lords in the early to mid 1980s. Their motto was: "We prefer a grave in Colombia to a prison in the United States ". The aim of the group was to intimidate the Colombian government into banning extradition at the constitutional level (Colombia had a treaty of extradition with the United States) and they wanted to manipulate Colombian society into supporting their goal. Initially,
48-572: A kidney infection. Vice President Marta Lucía Ramírez prematurely announced his death on Twitter , but later retracted her statement. Betancur died the following day from the illness, aged 95. Before his death, Betancur said he did not wish to have a state funeral and expressed interest in being buried at Jardines del Recuerdo Cemetery in Bogotá. On 8 December, his funeral was held with President Iván Duque Márquez and former presidents Juan Manuel Santos and César Gaviria in attendance. He
72-634: A subject of controversy, largely due to its use in discussing violent opposition to the US government's War on Drugs . The term is being increasingly used for terrorist organizations that engage in drug trafficking activity to fund their operations and gain recruits and expertise. Such organizations include FARC , ELN , AUC in Colombia, PCP-SL in Peru, Hamas , Hezbollah , and the Taliban . A 2013 Congressional Research Service report noted that in 2003,
96-721: A year before the end of his presidential term. He was president during the 1985 eruption of Nevado del Ruiz , which killed over 20,000 people. Betancur retired from politics after he left office in 1986. Betancur was an Honorary Member of the Club of Rome for Latin America, Chairman of the Truth Commission for El Salvador , and President of the Santillana for Latin America Foundation in Bogotá. He also
120-527: The 19th of April Movement (Marxist guerrillas) sieged the palace of Justice in order to hold all supreme magistrates hostage. The organized military reaction caused the building to burn resulting in the deaths of 91 people, 11 of which were judges. Although the M-19 denies being funded from outside sources, multiple sources say the Medellin Cartel funded them. Additionally, numerous bombs detonated across
144-549: The Contadora Group to bring about peace in Central America, began democratic reforms by incorporating the principal armed movements into civil life, promoted low-cost housing and open universities, began a literacy campaign and endorsed tax amnesty . During his term, the government approved the mayoral election law, municipal and departmental reforms, judicial and congressional reforms, the television statute,
168-550: The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) reported that 14 of 36 (39%) of the groups designated by the U.S. as foreign terrorist organizations "were involved 'to some degree' in illicit narcotics activity" while in fiscal year 2010, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) "reported that 29 of the top 63 international drug syndicates, identified as such on the consolidated priority organization target (CPOT) list, were associated with terrorists." In 2000
192-779: The Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana . In 1955, Betancur graduated in jurisprudence and obtained a degree in law and economics. Betancur began his political career as a deputy in the Antioquia Departmental Assembly, where he served from 1945 to 1947. He served as a Representative to the National Chamber for the departments of Cundinamarca and Antioquia, and was a member of the National Constituent Assembly from 1953 to 1957. Betancur
216-402: The prohibition of drugs say that prohibition itself funds terrorism, due to it indirectly making the black market and criminal organizations responsible for all sale. Areas or countries that have experienced narcoterrorist activity or narco-warfare include: During the period from 1984–1993, Colombia was known as one of the countries to have suffered a number of terrorist attacks at
240-517: The U.S. began funding, continued under the U.S. Bush administration , of Plan Colombia , intending to eradicate drug crops and to act against drug lords accused of engaging in narcoterrorism, including among them the leaders of the Marxist FARC and the AUC paramilitary forces. The U.S. government is funding large-scale drug eradication campaigns and supporting Colombian military operations, seeking
264-516: The country, the most memorable bomb being the one that brought down Avianca Flight 203 during its flight over Soacha Cundinamarca resulting in 107 dead in 1989. In Colombian history, the FARC were initially major enemies of the drug cartels. The MAS (Muerte a los secuestradores - Death to the kidnappers) was a group created by the most eminent members of the Cali cartel, including Escobar and Ochoa against
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#1732800828360288-523: The debate on the nature of the conflict in Colombia, and consequently on the character of the FARC. Belisario Betancur Belisario Betancur Cuartas (4 February 1923 – 7 December 2018) was a Colombian politician who served as the 26th President of Colombia from 1982 to 1986. He was a member of the Colombian Conservative Party . His presidency was noted for its attempted peace talks with several Colombian guerilla groups. He
312-472: The drug traffickers, these connections were described as « temporary alliances ». President Alvaro Uribe, who was elected on the idea of waging an all-out war against the FARC, over-emphasized the link between drugs and the FARC as well as the terrorist nature of the guerilla group in a post 2001 context: “(Álvaro Uribe) increasingly equated the guerrillas with drug traffickers and terrorists” . This policy has provoked much criticism which has enriched
336-487: The drug trafficking racket. Its principal leaders were: Narcoterrorism Pablo Escobar 's violence in his dealings with the Colombian government is probably one of the most known and best documented examples of narcoterrorism. The term itself was coined by former President Fernando Belaúnde Terry of Peru in 1983 when describing terrorist attacks against his nation's anti-narcotics police. The term has become
360-564: The extradition of commanders. Although al-Qaeda is often said to finance its activities through drug trafficking, the 9/11 Commission Report notes that "while the drug trade was a source of income for the Taliban , it did not serve the same purpose for al Qaeda, and there is no reliable evidence that bin Laden was involved in or made his money through drug trafficking." The organization gains most of its finances through donations, particularly those by "wealthy Saudi individuals". Critics of
384-572: The government’s policies on extradition and their collaborations with the United States government who sought to bring the Colombian drug bosses to justice. These terrorist acts typically consisted of assassinations of political figures, kidnappings, and bombings. The wing of the cartel also known as Los Priscos reportedly also participated directly in these acts of terrorism at the behest of the Medellín Cartel’s top leaders. Pablo Escobar
408-469: The group simply published newspaper adverts in which they defended their position, and influenced political parties to speak in favour of their goals. However, over time their actions escalated into a war between the state and the drug cartel, with violent acts committed against politicians and members of law enforcement. Its members were largely drawn from the Medellín Cartel and others linked to
432-492: The guerrillas who had kidnapped one of Ochoa's sister. The MAS was responsible for the deaths of 500 members of the Patriotic Union, a political party that emerged from the demobilization of part of the FARC in the 1990s. Significantly, it is worth recalling that Medellin cartel refused to buy coca from peasants living in areas under FARC control. From then on, even when there was evidence of collaboration between FARC and
456-443: The hands of narcotic traffickers. Belisario Betancourt , Virgilio Barco and César Gaviria were three Colombian presidents that constantly battled against the Medellín Cartel ’s unrelenting war on the government, especially through its branch known as Los Extraditables led by Pablo Escobar Gaviria , Gustavo Gaviria and Gonzalo Rodriguez Gacha . A number of crimes by “Los Extraditables” were due to their constant battles against
480-557: The national holiday law, and the new Código Contencioso Administrativo. His administration began the exploration and export of coal in the Cerrejón North region and the broadcast of the regional television channels Teleantioquia and Telecaribe. Betancur was also noted for his attempts to bring peace to his country. During his administration he initiated peace talks with several Colombian guerilla groups. The controversial Palace of Justice siege occurred in late 1985, less than
504-468: Was a founding member of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences . In 1946, Betancur married Rosa Helena Álvarez Yepes . Together, they had three children including diplomat Diego Betancur Álvarez . Álvarez Yepes died in 1998. In October 2000, Betancur married Dalia Rafaela Navarro Palmar. On 6 December 2018, Betancur was hospitalized in Bogotá in a critical condition, suffering from
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#1732800828360528-479: Was also one of the few presidents to abstain from participating in politics after leaving office. Betancur was born in the Morro de la Paila district of the town of Amagá , Antioquia , in 1923. His parents were Rosendo Betancur, a blue-collar worker, and Ana Otilia Cuartas, a businesswoman. Betancur's mother died in 1950. He is of French descent . Betancur traveled to the city of Medellín , where he enrolled in
552-466: Was elected as a representative as an alternative congress delegate, but allegations from politicians, the newspaper “El Espectador” and the minister of justice declared him a drug trafficker and he was eventually dismissed from Congress on January 4, 1984. On April 30, 1984, a motorcycle gunman from the Medellin Cartel killed the minister of Justice Rodrigo Lara Bonilla . On November 6, 1985
576-475: Was the Minister of Labor in 1963 and Ambassador to Spain from 1975 to 1977. He ran for president as an independent Conservative candidate in the election of 1970 , coming in third. He again ran as the official Conservative candidate in the election of 1978 , but was defeated by Julio César Turbay Ayala . Betancur was finally elected President in 1982 and served until 1986. As President, he helped found
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