Chavez Identifies Leaders of Colombian Paramilitary Group in Venezuela

President Chavez presents evidence of paramilitary activity in Venezuela to the foreign press corps
Credit: Gregory Wilpert - Venezuelanalysis.com
Caracas, May 15, 2004—During a press conference with Venezuela’s foreign press corps on Friday, President Chavez presented the pictures and names of the leaders of the paramilitary group that was captured last week in a farm on the outskirts of the country’s capital.

The main leader of the group is Jose Ernesto Ayala Amado, known as “Comandante Lucas” and is, according to Chavez, also one of the leaders of the Colombian paramilitary group known as the AUC (United Colombian Self-Defense, in its Spanish acronym), in the Colombian state of Norte de Santander.

Two other captured leaders also come from the same state, Rafael Antonio Omaña Trujillo, know as “Comandante Richard”, and Yeferson Gutierrez Guzman, know as “Comandante Yeferson”. Two more AUC leaders who were part of the Venezuelan group are still at large, Comandantes “Diego” and “Costeño.” President Chavez said, “It’s not like we are inventing things, as the media have irresponsibly begun to claim. Rather, there was a Colombian paramilitary operation of infiltration into Venezuelan territory, some with several years’ worth of experience and some newly recruited.”


Yeferson Gutierrez Guzman, know as Comandante Yeferson, linked to the AUC paramilitary group operating in Norte de Santander, Colombia.
Credit: Miraflores Press
According to Chavez, the group captured last week consisted of three blocks. The first of AUC leaders from Norte de Santander, the second of Colombian paramilitary fighters with experience, and a third block of individuals who were tricked into coming, some of whom are minors.


Jose Ernesto Ayala Amado, know as Comandante Lucas, leader of the AUC paramilitary group operating in Norte de Santander, Colombia.
Credit: Miraflores Press



Yeferson Gutierrez Guzman, know as Comandante Yeferson, linked to the AUC paramilitary group operating in Norte de Santander, Colombia.
Credit: Miraflores Press



Rafael Antonio Omaña Trujillo, know as Comandante Richard, linked to the AUC paramilitary group operating in Norte de Santander, Colombia.
Credit: Miraflores Press



A man was killed and buried in farm near Caracas where the paramilitary group was training.
Credit: Miraflores Press

I have never understood exactly what these paramilitary groups are. They seem to pop up in any article dealing with Columbia, yet I don't understand how they fit in with the rest of the groups there.

I know about the leftist groups in Columbia and the drug cartels and the government/US military, but who exactly are the paramilitary groups like AUC? Do you have a couple of good links I could read so I am no longer in the dark?

Thanks in advance!

At least in Central and South America it is IMO

I figured they were killing, that seems to be popular. But are they associated with the government of Columbia, or do they have other backers?

The Forgotten Hostages Oct. 8, 2003 Another illegal war more hostages


The Forgotten Hostages Oct. 8, 2003

Another illegal war - more hostages



CBS) At this moment, three Americans are being held hostage under heavy guard in the jungles of Colombia, hoping for a miracle.

Their story is probably one you don't know much about. But after hearing from them, it is one you will never forget.

They are hostages of a narco-terrorist group known as FARC, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia -- guerrillas with a violent history and a penchant for holding kidnap victims for years, and then, often, killing them.

The Americans fell into the group's hands when their plane crashed in the jungle more than eight months ago. The families of the hostages say the men they love have been forgotten.

They hope that will change tonight, because of what you are about to see and hear from the hostages themselves. Correspondent Dan Rather reports.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"To our country, we miss you and we hope we return one day. We're alive and well," says Keith Stansell, 38, a systems analyst.

"We expect to get out of here one day. We can't say for sure,” says Thomas Howes, 50, a professional pilot. “But our main concern is the welfare of our families."

"I'm a proud American,” says Marc Gonsalves, 31, also a systems analyst. “I look to you guys and I ask for a diplomatic solution to get us home safe, please."

A videotape of the three Americans - Stansell, Howes and Gonsalves - was made by Colombian journalist Jorge Botero. He made the trek deep into the jungles to a steamy, wooden shack.

Botero was escorted inside by a guerrilla commander, where he met the three Americans and recorded a tape to prove that they were alive and well – and ready to be traded for imprisoned members of the FARC Revolutionary Army being held by the Colombian government.

They are prisoners in a war most Americans don't even know is going on, even though the United States is deeply involved.

Stansell, Gonsalves and Howes are contractors, like some of the thousands of American civilians now in Colombia. Many of them were hired by the U.S. government to search for and destroy cocaine production
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/10/06/60II/main576739.shtml

Part II: The Forgotten Hostages

"I have a message for the company that we work for, just remember one thing when you see the three of us here. We did a good job for you. Just take good care of our families. We see here in the press release that our contract has been changed to a company that we don't know about after our crash,” says Stansell.
What the three men didn't know was that ten days after their plane went down, California Microwave handed over the mission, their contract, to a newly formed company named Ciao.

The three learned this from a press release Botero brought them, which Stansell read to his friends: “Three years ago, the Pentagon awarded a contract to conduct surveillance in Colombia to California Microwave, a subsidiary of Northrop Grumman. Shortly after plane went down, California Microwave transferred the contract, along with the planes and pilots, to a new company called C-I-A-O … chow."

When their captors overheard the hostages talking about the new company, the FARC made it clear that the new name sounded suspiciously like the CIA.

"C-I-A-O. This happened after the crash. We don't know who these people are," says Stansell. “We're civilian contractors."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
60 Minutes II went to Northrop Grumman and asked about its new subsidiary, Ciao, which is now apparently in charge of planes and pilots in Colombia.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/10/08/60II/main577184.shtml

March 16, 2004
Hostage's Son Gets Support from Classmates


“A child has lost his father to a Colombian guerrilla group we need to take action now,” said Dylan Rawles.

The letters to Senators Richard Lugar and Evan Bayh were the idea of teacher Stacy Ireland. “As sixth graders we can make a difference working with our government in Noblesville and we can make a difference in United States,” said teacher Stacy Ireland.

No one wants to make a difference more than student Kyle Stansell. “I just have a feeling now, all this is being done. It's got to do something,” he said.

Kyle is the son of Keith Stansell. Stansell and the two other American hostages appeared in a documentary shot last summer in Colombia. It is the only visual evidence that the men are still alive.
“Then I see him on this and he's almost crying and I've never seen him cry in his entire life,” said Kyle.

http://www.wishtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=1716114&nav=CPFQLZmj


U.S. adds to military presence in Colombia
Leftist rebels admit holding three Americans
Saturday, February 22, 2003 Posted: 10:17 PM EST (0317 GMT)



The bodies of two passengers were found shot near the wreckage of their crashed plane.

U.S. adds to military presence in Colombia
Leftist rebels admit holding three Americans
Saturday, February 22, 2003 Posted: 10:17 PM EST (0317 GMT)



The bodies of two passengers were found shot near the wreckage of their crashed plane.

CRAWFORD, Texas (CNN) -- A senior Bush administration official told CNN on Saturday that additional U.S. military personnel have been dispatched to Colombia, where leftist rebels have acknowledged holding three Americans captive.


Colombia's largest rebel group has said the lives of the three U.S. citizens are at risk if the government does not halt military operations in rebel-held territory.

In a communiqué posted Saturday on its Web site, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia -- known by its Spanish acronym, FARC -- acknowledged for the first time that it had captured three Americans who survived a plane crash February 13 in rebel-held territory.

The rebels also claimed responsibility for shooting down the plane, which they said had been on a mission to spy on them. Colombian and U.S. military forces have blamed the crash on mechanical problems.

"We can only guarantee the life and physical integrity of the three official gringos in our power if the Colombian military immediately suspends military operations and overflights in the area," said the communiqué, which was datelined "The mountains of Colombia, February 21."

The State Department refused to comment on the FARC announcement and repeated previous statements holding the FARC "responsible for the safety, health and well-being" of the Americans.

The United States "demands their safe release," a State Department official said.

The State Department official said the United States has "not authorized any group to negotiate" with FARC for the hostages' release.

http://216.239.39.104/search?q=cache:nM4LQCfeQ9oJ:www.cnn.com/2003/WOR ...


"To our country, we miss you and we hope we return one day. We're alive and well," says Keith Stansell, 38, a systems analyst.

"We expect to get out of here one day. We can't say for sure,” says Thomas Howes, 50, a professional pilot. “But our main concern is the welfare of our families."

"I'm a proud American,” says Marc Gonsalves, 31, also a systems analyst. “I look to you guys and I ask for a diplomatic solution to get us home safe, please."

A videotape of the three Americans - Stansell, Howes and Gonsalves - was made by Colombian journalist Jorge Botero. He made the trek deep into the jungles to a steamy, wooden shack.

Botero was escorted inside by a guerrilla commander, where he met the three Americans and recorded a tape to prove that they were alive and well – and ready to be traded for imprisoned members of the FARC Revolutionary Army being held by the Colombian government.

They are prisoners in a war most Americans don't even know is going on, even though the United States is deeply involved.

Stansell, Gonsalves and Howes are contractors, like some of the thousands of American civilians now in Colombia. Many of them were hired by the U.S. government to search for and destroy cocaine production
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/10/06/60II/main576739.shtml

Part II: The Forgotten Hostages

"I have a message for the company that we work for, just remember one thing when you see the three of us here. We did a good job for you. Just take good care of our families. We see here in the press release that our contract has been changed to a company that we don't know about after our crash,” says Stansell.
What the three men didn't know was that ten days after their plane went down, California Microwave handed over the mission, their contract, to a newly formed company named Ciao.

The three learned this from a press release Botero brought them, which Stansell read to his friends: “Three years ago, the Pentagon awarded a contract to conduct surveillance in Colombia to California Microwave, a subsidiary of Northrop Grumman. Shortly after plane went down, California Microwave transferred the contract, along with the planes and pilots, to a new company called C-I-A-O … chow."

When their captors overheard the hostages talking about the new company, the FARC made it clear that the new name sounded suspiciously like the CIA.

"C-I-A-O. This happened after the crash. We don't know who these people are," says Stansell. “We're civilian contractors."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
60 Minutes II went to Northrop Grumman and asked about its new subsidiary, Ciao, which is now apparently in charge of planes and pilots in Colombia.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/10/08/60II/main577184.shtml

March 16, 2004
Hostage's Son Gets Support from Classmates


“A child has lost his father to a Colombian guerrilla group we need to take action now,” said Dylan Rawles.

The letters to Senators Richard Lugar and Evan Bayh were the idea of teacher Stacy Ireland. “As sixth graders we can make a difference working with our government in Noblesville and we can make a difference in United States,” said teacher Stacy Ireland.

No one wants to make a difference more than student Kyle Stansell. “I just have a feeling now, all this is being done. It's got to do something,” he said.

Kyle is the son of Keith Stansell. Stansell and the two other American hostages appeared in a documentary shot last summer in Colombia. It is the only visual evidence that the men are still alive.
“Then I see him on this and he's almost crying and I've never seen him cry in his entire life,” said Kyle.

http://www.wishtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=1716114&nav=CPFQLZmj


U.S. adds to military presence in Colombia
Leftist rebels admit holding three Americans
Saturday, February 22, 2003 Posted: 10:17 PM EST (0317 GMT)



The bodies of two passengers were found shot near the wreckage of their crashed plane.

U.S. adds to military presence in Colombia
Leftist rebels admit holding three Americans
Saturday, February 22, 2003 Posted: 10:17 PM EST (0317 GMT)



The bodies of two passengers were found shot near the wreckage of their crashed plane.

CRAWFORD, Texas (CNN) -- A senior Bush administration official told CNN on Saturday that additional U.S. military personnel have been dispatched to Colombia, where leftist rebels have acknowledged holding three Americans captive.


Colombia's largest rebel group has said the lives of the three U.S. citizens are at risk if the government does not halt military operations in rebel-held territory.

In a communiqué posted Saturday on its Web site, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia -- known by its Spanish acronym, FARC -- acknowledged for the first time that it had captured three Americans who survived a plane crash February 13 in rebel-held territory.

The rebels also claimed responsibility for shooting down the plane, which they said had been on a mission to spy on them. Colombian and U.S. military forces have blamed the crash on mechanical problems.

"We can only guarantee the life and physical integrity of the three official gringos in our power if the Colombian military immediately suspends military operations and overflights in the area," said the communiqué, which was datelined "The mountains of Colombia, February 21."

The State Department refused to comment on the FARC announcement and repeated previous statements holding the FARC "responsible for the safety, health and well-being" of the Americans.

The United States "demands their safe release," a State Department official said.

The State Department official said the United States has "not authorized any group to negotiate" with FARC for the hostages' release.

http://216.239.39.104/search?q=cache:nM4LQCfeQ9oJ:www.cnn.com/2003/WOR ...

Is the AUC like FARC? How many groups are there like this? Do they all derive their funding in some way from the drug trade?

Young Rafael Redondo and his mother try to avoid staying outside in their city where almost 300 people have been murdered this year


Sometimes the 11-year-old author of these lines, Rafael Redondo, awakens in the middle of the night and remembers gunfire. He is startled from sleep by memories of the day when a right-wing paramilitary squad stormed into his village in northern Colombia, killed two men and threatened to make the entire hamlet "disappear." Days later, on Christmas Eve 1996, Rafael, his parents and five brothers and sisters joined 14 other terrified families and fled the village for their lives.

When he wakes, Rafael discovers his nightmare is not over. Now resettled in a violent neighborhood in Colombia's oil center, Barrancabermeja, he still hears gunshots. A wave of murders has terrified his new hometown, leaving nearly 300 people dead so far this year.

"You can't stay out on the streets for long," Rafael said. "You never know when a shooting will break out and someone could fall over dead."


Instead of escaping the violence, Rafael's family moved into the middle of a widening war being fought by leftist guerrillas, paramilitaries and the army for possession of one of the country's most valuable regions. The target: Barrancabermeja, the largest city in a strategic river valley rich in oil, gold and, most recently, coca, the shrub used to produce cocaine.

Rafael hides his fear well. The smiling boy is playful and quick to compose poems describing his daily life. When he talks about the violence, however, he begins dreaming of home.

"I liked it there, back when we were still not in the middle of the conflict."

Rafael's words are echoed by a growing number of Colombians who have been swept up in the country's civil war, now nearly 40 years old, a conflict that has claimed more than 35,000 lives in the past decade and forced hundreds of thousands from their homes.




Young guerrillas drill at a FARC camp in Los Pozos. Teen-age guerrillas are becoming more common on the battlefields of Colombia.


more
http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2000/colombia.noframes/story/reports/overv...

Judges and Prosecutors that try to change it are murdered assassination style. The Narcotics traffickers have tremendous power & influence.
As does the Army.

" are they associated with the government of Columbia, or do they have other backers?"

Both the other backers are the American Gov that wants to help pave the way for American & other Multi National Corps to exploit the Natural resources of this beautiful Nation.

This involves moving people of their land or out of their villages so Mines can be built or Damns created.

This is done many times by paramilitary those that do not move are murdered.

The far right is very active in Columbia they murder Union activists at a furious pace.

Tell me if this is correct:

The US aids the Columbian military so it can fight the drug war, and save the precious Americans from themselves, by destroying crops of local farmers (and the occasional innocent civilian).

The US aids the paramilitary groups so they can fight the hated leftists groups, and pave the way for American business interests, by killing or relocating local people.

The US population aids the drug cartels (by buying drugs) so they can produce more product for American markets, and force to local people work for the cartels.

It sounds like our usual dirty work...

Were any of them trained at the School of the Americas I wonder.

No doubt doing some good humanitarian work on the sly in Venezuela.

to simulate oral sex on each other.

They look like real idealists, don't they?




Oh, you betcha.

We are defending the sovereignty of our territory against the presence of armed groups of any nature, either guerrilla or counter-guerrilla, either a regular army or a paramilitary group, either terrorists or whatever it is, and we have demonstrated it in several occasions," he added.

However, the most serious comment of the president was that the strongest attacks against his administration come from sectors that favor "an invasion to Venezuela." Despite the international connotations that he assigned to the case, Chávez has instructed State's intelligence forces "to pay a special attention to local accomplices."

"We cannot believe the hypothesis that a radical mad man brought (the paramilitaries), and left them here and went to Miami and that's it. There have to be complicity in the political and military worlds, which have continued to threaten the peace of the country," he underlined.

Directly accusing the dissident military officers who in October 2002 disowned the government, Chávez said that "this group of military traitors" has been recognized by some of the "detained terrorists."

more
http://www.vcrisis.com/index.php?content=letters/200405170747


This is the link for the original story which is not working now.
www.venezuelanalysis.com/new.php?newsno=1272

Just wonderin'

Caracas, May 15, 2004—During a press conference with Venezuela’s foreign press corps on Friday, President Chavez presented the pictures and names of the leaders of the paramilitary group that was captured last week in a farm on the outskirts of the country’s capital.

The main leader of the group is Jose Ernesto Ayala Amado, known as “Comandante Lucas” and is, according to Chavez, also one of the leaders of the Colombian paramilitary group known as the AUC (United Colombian Self-Defense, in its Spanish acronym), in the Colombian state of Norte de Santander.

Two other captured leaders also come from the same state, Rafael Antonio Omaña Trujillo, know as “Comandante Richard”, and Yeferson Gutierrez Guzman, know as “Comandante Yeferson”. Two more AUC leaders who were part of the Venezuelan group are still at large, Comandantes “Diego” and “Costeño.” President Chavez said, “It’s not like we are inventing things, as the media have irresponsibly begun to claim. Rather, there was a Colombian paramilitary operation of infiltration into Venezuelan territory, some with several years’ worth of experience and some newly recruited.”


Yeferson Gutierrez Guzman, know as Comandante Yeferson, linked to the AUC paramilitary group operating in Norte de Santander, Colombia.
Credit: Miraflores Press
According to Chavez, the group captured last week consisted of three blocks. The first of AUC leaders from Norte de Santander, the second of Colombian paramilitary fighters with experience, and a third block of individuals who were tricked into coming, some of whom are minors.

Colombian government does not have any connection with paramilitaries in Venezuela

President Chavez stated that in relation with the captured paramilitary group, “I am absolutely certain that the government of President Alvaro Uribe has nothing to do with this. I believe it and I know it. Chavez added that in recent conversations with the Colombian president, shortly before the discovery of the paramilitary group, they concluded that Colombian-Venezuelan relations were quite good and that trade between the two countries had increased by 100% since last year’s oil industry shut-down.


Rafael Antonio Omaña Trujillo, know as Comandante Richard, linked to the AUC paramilitary group operating in Norte de Santander, Colombia.
Credit: Miraflores Press
Nonetheless, there are, according Chavez, elements of Colombia’s extreme right that are involved in attempting to overthrow his government.

Venezuelan opposition is for the most part also not involved

When asked exactly who among Venezuela’s opposition leaders are involved in the paramilitary plot, President Chavez clarified that he was certain that “definitely these plans were not supported by an important part of the opposition.” The planning was too sloppy and the resources too limited to indicate that major sectors of Venezuela’s opposition might have been involved. “If a large part of opposition leaders had been involved in the presence of the paramilitary group in our country, then these men would have counted on vehicles, weapons,” said Chavez.


fair use
http://www.venezuelanalysis.com/news.php?newsno=1272

Terrorist Plot Foiled!
But Democracy must be vigilant, for there are still more Terrorist plots to come!


by Justin Podur


He also made an important reference to the treatment of the Colombian prisoners by the Venezuelan armed forces. "There will be no torture or hooding, no sadomasochism, because our soldiers and police are not sadistic."

The United States, whose armed forces have engaged in considerable amounts of torture, hooding, and sadism, rejected any idea that this plot could have come from the US, without providing any detail. Richard Boucher, the State Department's spokesperson, said: "I know there are some accusations that all this is part of some US conspiracy to overthrow the Chavez government. We categorically reject these declarations and shameful accusations."

The Colombian government has announced that it is prepared to cooperate with Venezuela in investigating the incident. Given that it is well-documented that the Colombian paramilitaries are little more than a segment of the Colombian military (2), and that the Colombian senate recently passed a resolution condemning the Venezuelan government, it is unlikely that this 'cooperation' will be of much help to Venezuela.

In a clever twist, Colombia's Vice-President reacted to the arrest of his paramilitaries, who were plotting a terrorist action against Venezuela, by saying that Venezuela must take a strong stand against terrorism!

The story is still incomplete. But if William Blum's 'Watergate law of politics' ("Don't believe anything until it has been officially denied") is on the books, this is just a continuation of "some US conspiracy to overthrow the Chavez government". Because the Venezuelan elite seems incapable of doing the job, the Colombian military and paramilitaries are being used. That plan has been in the works for years, and there have been paramilitary raids into Venezuela for well over a year (3). In Colombia itself, a major offensive, called 'Plan Patriota', is being planned, supposedly to attack the guerrillas in southern Colombia (but perhaps to attack Venezuela?) US Southern Command is asking that Congressional restrictions on numbers of US troops in Colombia be relaxed. Even as US troops smash their way through Najaf and Fallujah, even as photos of US troops engaged in sadistic torture traverse the world, these troops are being presented as the 'solution' to some kind of problem that Colombia and Venezuela have.

more
http://www.zmag.org/content/showarticle.cfm?SectionID=45&ItemID=5499


Mr Chávez also claimed the plot was backed by Venezuela's mostly pro-opposition news media and said that the raids had "eliminated the seed of a terrorist group".

"Now they are importing terrorists," Mr Chávez said of his opponents, adding that the farm - in the municipality of El Hatillo - was owned by Roberto Alonso, a Cuban exile with links to Venezuelan and Cuban exiles.

"There are people in the United States who keep thinking how to start a war in Venezuela so that they can justify an invasion," he said.

Mr Chávez has frequently claimed that Venezuela's opposition - including a number of military officers who briefly ousted him from power in a short-lived coup attempt in April 2002 - has conspired to overthrow his government with US backing. Washington denies any involvement.

more
http://www.guardian.co.uk/venezuela/story/0,12716,1213445,00.html