Gang Deconstruction

"I have told them they are criminals who, if they hand themselves over, the law will give
them some privileges depending on what they deliver and the value to society of what
they deliver," he said.
A Hat Trick for The Government?
Natalio Cosoy, BBC Mundo, Bogotá
After more than two years of intense operations against the Gulf Clan, President Santos
said its leader had contacted the government to find a way of handing himself in along
with the rest of his group.
If their submission to justice materialises, it will be the third landmark in the past few
weeks for peace in Colombia, after the disarmament of the Farc guerrillas and the
recent commitment of the ELN Marxist rebels to a 102-day long truce.
The news is great publicity for President Santos, coming just as Pope Francis is due to
begin his visit to the country.
The gang is known mainly for drug trafficking but has also been accused of extortion,
illegal mining, forced disappearances and murder.
The Gulf Clan - formerly known as the Úsuga Clan or Urabeños - has its power base in
the Uraba region, but its network extends across the country and beyond.
Announcing its surrender, the Gulf Clan published two videos - one addressed to
President Santos and one to the Pope, who begins a visit to Colombia on Wednesday.
In the video to Pope Francis, Otoniel said he was "just another Colombian who longs for
peace" and asked for the pontiff's prayers for stability in the country.
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Venezuelan Anti-Gang Offensive Arrests Hundreds, Earns Popular Support
By Lucas Koerner
Jul 15th 2015 at 11.46am
https://venezuelanalysis.com/4Zq
Hundreds were arrested across Venezuela in a mass anti-crime operation undertaken
by state security forces to liberate territories occupied by paramilitary gangs in the
capital district and bordering states of Miranda and Aragua on Monday.
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