Carlos Pizarro Leongómez

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Carlos Pizarro Leongómez was the fourth commander of the Colombian based guerrilla group 19th of April Movement (Movimiento 19 de Abril) (M-19). Pizarro later ran for president of Colombia after the demobilization of M-19 that transformed the group into the political party, M-19 Democratic Alliance (Alianza Democrática M-19) (AD/M-19). Leongómez was assassinated 1990-04-26[1][2]

Contents

[edit] M-19 leadership

[edit] "America" Battalion & CNG

Pizarro became commander of M-19 in 1986, following the Palace of Justice siege. Prior to '86 Pizarro was the movement's military commander and often credited with moving the group in a more militant direction.[1] In January 1986, from the Cauca Andes mountains, Pizarro announced the organization of the "America" Battalion which was compromised of fighters from the National Guerrilla Coordinating Group (Coordinadora Nacional Guerrillera) (CNG) and foreign fighters from other Latin American countries.[3]

The "America" Battalion was to operate much like the CNG, but on an international level that would include fighters from all over Latin America. The group however was unable to operate and consolidate due to deportation of suspicious foreigners in the Cauca Department. The groups victories included the seizure of neighboring areas such as Belalcazar in August 1986 and Inza in September 1986.[3]

[edit] AD/M-19 formation

Main article: 19th of April Movement

After 19 years in operation the group, commanded by Pizarro, began negotiating with the Colombian government, in April 1989, for demobilization conditional on certain grounds.[4] The primary request of the group was a full pardon for all prior activities as well as the right to form a political party. M-19 in return agreed to turn over all weapons and not to return to violent activities, the demobilization date was set for mid December 1989.[5] The accord was signed in the town of Santo Domingo by Jaime Pardo Rueda, adviser to the president, Raul Orejuela Bueno, Minister of Interior and Pizarro, Commander of M-19.[1][6][7]

Following the signing of the accord, M-19 announced Pizarro would officially run as the groups presidential nomination in the 1990 elections. He would soon after be assassinated on April 26, 1990. During the 1990 presidential campaign, three candidates were assassinated: Luis Carlos Galán, the leading Liberal candidate, Bernardo Jaramillo Ossa for the political party Unión Patriótica (UP), and Pizarro.[8][9]Following the assassination, Antonio Navarro Wolff accepted the nomination of AD/M-19.[10] Wolff would later finish third in the race, with 12.7% of vote, losing out to César Gaviria who later appointed him the position of health minister.[11]

Chief Prosecutor Alfonso Gomez would later charge Carlos Castaño, former leader of the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (Spanish: Autodefensas Unidas de Colombia) (AUC), for the deaths of Jaramillo Ossa and Pizarro on May 24, 1999.[12][13]

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c (1990) Country report: Colombia. Economist Intelligence Unit, 8. 
  2. ^ Jorge Pablo Osterling. Democracy in Colombia: Clientelist Politics and Guerrilla Warfare. Transaction Books, 302. 
  3. ^ a b Osterling p.306
  4. ^ "Colombia, Rebel Group Agree to Open Peace Talks April", Associated Press, March 18, 1989. 
  5. ^ Stan Yarbro. "Colombia", The Associated Press, December 3, 1998. 
  6. ^ Joseph Coleman. "Drug trafficker extradited to U.S.", Associated Press, October 29, 1998. 
  7. ^ "Bogotá, Guerrillas Reach Agreement", The Washington Post, September 27, 1989, p. A46. 
  8. ^ Harvey F. Kline. Colombia: democracy under assault. Boulder: Westview Press. 
  9. ^ Russell Crandall. Driven by Drugs: U.S. Policy Toward Colombia. Lynne Rienner Publishers. 
  10. ^ Crandall p. 70
  11. ^ Charles D. Ameringer. Political Parties of the Americas, 1980s to 1990s, Canada, Latin America, and the West Indies. Greenwood Press, 201. 
  12. ^ Crandall p.69
  13. ^ Kline p.68
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