Black Eagles (Spanish: Águilas Negras) is a term describing a series of Colombian right wing, counter-revolutionary, paramilitary organizations made up of new and preexisting paramilitary forces, some of which were part of the demobilized Self-Defense Units of Colombia (AUC). These were first considered to be a third generation of paramilitary groups but there are Colombian military reports suggesting the Águilas Negras are intermediaries in the drug business between the guerrilla and drug cartels outside Colombia.[1]
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The Black Eagles are closely associated with drug cartels and are involved in drug trafficking activities, extortions, racketeering and kidnappings. They have also attacked guerrilla members and suspected sympathizers. One individual who has been accused of leading the Black Eagles is former AUC leader Vicente Castaño[2], who became a fugitive after his demobilization when he was judicially accused of murdering his own brother, paramilitary leader Carlos Castaño.
The Black Eagles first appeared in the northern Colombian cities of Cúcuta and Ocaña in the Norte de Santander Department near the border with Venezuela in March/April 2006, along with other groups initially identifying themselves as "Eagles" of different colors, including "Red Eagles", "Golden Eagles" and "Blue Eagles". Other criminal groups using the Black Eagle label expanded their operations in other departments of Colombia, mainly in Santander, Cesar, Caqueta and Antioquia. On October 18, 2006 President Álvaro Uribe openly ordered their detention.[3][4] The government also ordered the creation of a new Search Bloc against the Black Eagles and classified this organization as a gang of former paramilitaries.[5]
According to Revista Semana, the new criminal organizations may have up to 4,000 members distributed into 22 identified groups in 200 municipalities and 22 of the 32 departments. The number of groups could also be 34, due to their capacity to hide, and be black.