The Trump administration designates eight Latin American gangs, including Colombia’s Gulf Clan, as Foreign Terrorist Organizations, escalating U.S. counterterrorism efforts against narcotrafficking, human smuggling, and organized crime in the Western Hemisphere.
In a dire announcement from Colombia’s High Peace Commissioner Otty Patiño, the Gulf Clan is ready to “take control” of the departmental capital of Chocó, Quibdó.
An unprecedented spate in killings of members of Colombia’s National Police has placed security forces on high alert.
The arrest, capture and extradition of alias “Otoniel” is the most important for Colombia since the killing of the Medellín cartel’s Pablo Escobar.
The capture of Dario Úsuga, cartel boss of the Gulf Clan represents the largest blow to a criminal organization since the death of Pablo Escobar in 1993.