Colombian Amazon subjected to “aggressive deforestation” by dissident FARC forces

The guerrillas who excluded themselves from the peace agreement with the Colombian state carry out aggressive deforestation in the local Amazon to introduce cattle and plant the raw material of cocaine, the Prosecutor’s Office denounced when announcing charges against the fugitive rebels.

‘Gentil Duarte’, one of the most wanted men in Colombia, and his subordinates ‘Iván Mordisco’ and ‘John 40’ are behind the logging of thousands of hectares in the south of the country, the investigating body said in a statement.

“The evidence collected shows that, at the instruction of these people, aggressive deforestation has advanced since 2016 to complete an illegal path”Said the attorney general, Francisco Barbosa.

Miguel Botache Santillan -alias’ Gentil Duarte’-, for whom they offer a reward of just over a million dollars for their location, and the other rebel leaders face charges of “invasion of area of ​​special ecological importance”, “damage to natural resources”, “plantation financing“(Of coca) and”conspiracy to commit a crime”He added.

With the peace agreement signed five years ago, the bulk of the guerrillas of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC, Marxists) abandoned vast territories that have been taken over by other illegal forces, due to the slow or no arrival of the State, according to the agreement. peasant organizations and local and international NGOs.

The so-called Suroriental Block, commanded by Botache Santillana, operates in the departments of Meta (south-central) and Guaviare (south), one of the main nodes of deforestation and where the highway is being built.

Colombian military forces are following in Duarte’s footsteps in an intense hunt in which several of his camps have been bombed.

According to figures from the state Institute of Hydrology, Meteorology and Environmental Studies (IDEAM), after the pact that disarmed the FARC, the destruction of the forests soared in Colombia, going from 123,841 hectares in 2015 to 219,552 in 2017 (an increase of 76%).

Barbosa added that it has also been verified that “indiscriminate logging to promote extensive cattle ranching, coca cultivation and drug processing“, What has”endangered soils, water sources and wildlife”.

Colombian justice punishes up to 15 years in prison for those caught cutting down or financing this activity.

Without a unified command, the dissidents feed a new wave of violence that hits several territories. The local study center Indepaz estimates its strength at 5,200 combatants, the majority (85%) new recruits.