POWERFUL PARAMILITARY COMMANDER KILLED

C O N F I D E N T I A L BOGOTA 009519 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/20/2014 TAGS: PREL SNAR PHUM PINR CO SUBJECT: POWERFUL PARAMILITARY COMMANDER KILLED Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Milton K. Drucker for reasons 1.5 (b) and (d) ¶1. (U) On September 20, the Prosecutor General's Office ("Fiscalia") publicly confirmed that United Self Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC) commander Miguel Arroyave Ruiz was killed. Arroyave commanded the AUC's Centauros Bloc and was participating in peace talks with the government. The reasons for his death are unknown. He apparently died outside of the zone of concentration, where he was supposed to have been located. ¶2. (C) Arroyave controlled several thousand troops in Casanare, Arauca, and Meta Departments and several hundred urban militia members in southern Bogota. He was heavily involved in drug trafficking and was one of the most powerful regional AUC commanders. For the past year or so, Arroyave's forces had been clashing with the independent Self Defense Forces of Casanare (ACC) for control over territory and drug trafficking routes, leading to a sharp spike in violence on Colombia's eastern plains. On August 12, Arroyave agreed to begin demobilizing his troops. The Peace Commissioner's Office had hoped to begin demobilization later this month, but had noted to us that the conflict between the Centauros Bloc and ACC was a major obstacle. ¶3. (C) Little is known about Arroyave's subordinates, who will presumably take command of the Centauros Bloc. It is not clear who will replace Arroyave at the negotiating table or if his successor will follow through on Arroyave's agreement to demobilize. Post will follow up with septels. DRUCKER