This alleged criminal was in charge of the terrorist structure, in the absence of its main ringleader, alias “Ramiro,” who is apparently wounded. The residual 18 had accepted the criminal intentions of alias “Iván Márquez,” to re-build a new terrorist group.
In development of joint, coordinated and inter-institutional military operations, carried out by troops of the National Army, the Colombian Air Force, the National Police, the Office of the Attorney General of the Nation, and attending to the recommendations of early alerts No. 029 of 2018 and 004 of 2020, the death in military operations of the individual known as alias Picino,” apparently second ringleader of the GAO-r E-18, was achieved. In the same way, troops achieved the capture of three more individuals and the finding of important war material and communications equipment.
The military operation was carried out, thanks to the information provided by the Civic Participation Network, in the hamlet known as El Castillo, in the municipality of Ituango, Antioquia, where heavy firefights took place against members of the criminal structure, which resulted in the neutralization of the second ringleader of the GAO-r E-18.
Alias “Picino,” according to information provided by the authorities, was identified as Francisco Holguín Builes, 37 years old. He has a criminal experience of more than 15 years in the old Farc-EP and three years in the GAO-r E-18. He assumed as second ringleader of the structure after the death in military operations of alias “Patoso,” in the last February, and it could be established that he had a personal escort of around 11 criminals in firearms with a long-range M16 rifle .
Within his criminal record there is his responsibility in the forced displacement of approximately 300 people in the El Cedral village in 2018. He is accused of assassinating in 2019 a member of the Security forces in the Conguital neighborhood. In the same 2019, it seems that he forced the peasant and indigenous people of San José de Uré, in Córdoba, to move by force due to the dispute with the GAO Clan del Golfo. In January 2020, he would be responsible for a famous kidnapping in the La Granja municipality, near Ituango, as well as, last February, the forced displacement of several families in the villages of San Pablo and La Canturra, municipality of Puerto Libertador, in the department of Córdoba.
In addition, he would be in charge of carrying out forced recruitment of minors.
Alias “Picino,” there was an arrest warrant for the crimes of conspiracy to commit an aggravated crime, attempted murder, illegal carrying of firearms and drug trafficking. The urgent acts were carried out with the support of the Judicial Police and the Prosecutor's Office.
During the military operation, it was in the same way possible to capture three individuals, who were identified as alias “Dimas,” designated ringleader and person in charge of security for alias “Ramiro,” main ringleader of the structure, alias “Pescado,” who was wounded and received first aid from the troops, in the framework of respect for human rights and international humanitarian law; another man was captured, who is in process of identification.
In the same way, it was possible to find a long weapon, magazines for rifles, abundant cartridges of different calibers, electrical detonators for explosive devices, military accessories and items of interest for the analysis of military intelligence.
This armed structure, with criminal interference in the municipalities of Ituango, Peque and Valdivia, carries out extortion charges on peasants and merchants. In the same way, it installs improvised explosive devices to activate them against the Security forces.
The military operation in the area continues in order to find the whereabouts of alias “Ramiro,” the main ringleader of this structure.
Source: press - National Army
