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José Vicente Castaño Gil aka El Profe (born July 2, 1957) is a former leader of the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC), a right-wing Colombian paramilitary organization. After demobilizing, he was accused of murdering his brother and former AUC leader Carlos Castaño and of narcotics trafficking by both the Colombian government and the government of the United States. In August 2004, the United States formally requested his extradition. Castaño remains, however, a fugitive and is the presumed chief of the criminal organization Águilas Negras made up of former AUC paramilitary members.[2]
Vicente Castaño Gil | |
|---|---|
 A Colombian paramilitary | |
| Nickname(s) | "El Profe" (en:The teacher)[1] |
| Born | July 2, 1957 Amalfi, Antioquia Colombia |
| Allegiance | United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC) Paramilitarism Narcotrafficking |
| Rank | Bloc commander and United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia leader |
| Unit | Peasant Self-Defense Forces of Cordoba and Uraba |
| Battles / wars | Cold War/War on drugs |
Biography
editEarly life
editCastaño was born July 2, 1957, in Amalfi, a small village in the Antioquia Department in central Colombia. He was the sixth among twelve siblings of a family of farmers. When he was 12 years old he dropped out from school to help his father on farming duties. At the age of 18 he left the village and went to neighboring Venezuela where he also worked on farming for two years. Back in Colombia, Castaño worked with his brother Fidel Castaño in many businesses including a pub, gold exchange in Segovia, Antioquia, and farming. They later moved to Medellín where they worked in the lottery business. His nickname is due to his knowledge of agronomy, which was compared to a Colombian TV program named El Profesor Yarumo.[3]
Father's death
editCastaño's father died on September 18, 1981, at the hands of the FARC-EP, a leftist rebel organization. The FARC had kidnapped the elder Castaño and demanded a ransom of 150 million pesos.[citation needed]
Family
editVicente Castaño is the brother of Fidel Castaño, a leader of Los Pepes and the founder of Peasant Self-Defenders of Córdoba and Urabá and Carlos Castaño Gil, who led the AUC until his death. Vicente has been accused of ordering Carlos' death.
Possible death
editSeveral sources claim that Castaño was assassinated under the orders of Diego Murillo Bejarano in retaliation for taking controls of territory and criminal rackets.[4][5]
Popular culture
edit- In TV series El Cartel is portrayed by an anonymous actor as the character of Leopoldo Aguilar.
- In colombian TV series Tres Caínes is portrayed by the colombian actor Elkin Díaz.
References
edit- ^ https://www.state.gov/j/inl/narc/rewards/115250.htm
- ^ (in Spanish) Vicente Castaño would be behind 'Águilas Negras' Archived 2007-09-27 at the Wayback Machine El Pais Accessed 20 August 2007.
- ^ https://www.semana.com/portada/articulo/habla-vicente-castano/72964-3/
- ^ "Vicente Castaño". Colombia Reports Profiles. 23 October 2018. Archived from the original on 26 April 2019. Retrieved 8 February 2019.
- ^ "Vicente Castaño: dead". Cambio (in Spanish). November 2, 2008. Archived from the original on February 27, 2012. Retrieved 8 February 2019.