Buenaventura has become a laboratory for Urban Peace since August 2022. However, constant threats have endangered this process, creating uncertainty among the population.

By Juan Carlos Díaz

Journalist FORO HUMANOS

Of the three wars that plague the District of Buenaventura: the one being fought in Bajo Calima between the Gaitanista Self-Defense Forces of Colombia and the National Liberation Army (ELN), the one being fought between the dissident bands of the former FARC: the Jaime Martínez against the Second Marquetalia, and the third war between “Shottas” and “Spartans”, is an Urban Peace laboratory that has experienced a series of threats, which have put this process that began in August 2022 in suspense.

Selective homicides, internal displacements, the video of an apparent new armed group that threatened a wave of violence, as well as the hitman attack that left a girl who was only nine years old seriously injured, once again put the population in anxiety. Buenos Aires and the agreed non-aggression agreements.

Establishment of a peace space following an attack on a minor in Buenaventura

In the case of the girl Kimberly, Rigoberto Rentería Cuero, alias “Kenner”, and Jhon Fernando Sinisterra Cuero, alias “Culín”, of the “Shottas”, who entered this neighborhood on a motorcycle, carrying firearms, were already arrested.

According to the investigation, the motorcycle griller fired several shots at a person who was at the scene, but several of the shots injured the right arm of a mother who was traveling with her 9-year-old daughter, who was also injured. when a projectile lodged in his head.

Five days later, on July 5, in a clinic in Cali, three hours by road from the Port, where she had been transferred due to her serious injury, the minor died.

In the midst of this unfortunate event, in the large hall of the Heriberto Correa Yepes Meeting House in Buenaventura, the spokespersons for “Shottas” and “Espartanos” together with the then Peace Commissioner of Colombia, Danilo Rueda, and delegates from the local government, departmental and international organizations, showed themselves publicly and openly to install the Socio-legal Conversation Space to achieve peace in this port.

Fragile peace: gang spokespersons seek solutions

During his speech, José Jimmy García, spokesperson for the “Shottas”, said that to move Buenaventura forward, there must be employment, health and sports, so that young people do not take up arms.

In turn, Felix Orlando Luna, spokesperson for the “Spartans,” said that the people ask for peace. On August 10, 2023, after two private meetings, the “Shottas” and “Spartans” established an initial 30-day truce, where they eliminated invisible borders, theft and extortion. This truce has already been extended until February 4, 2024.

Leonard Rentería, youth leader of Buenaventura, says that this area of ​​the municipality has little police presence, that the war usually concentrates in Comuna 7, in the Juan XXIII neighborhood, where the crossfire is constantly heard.

“Sometimes they shoot here to distract the Public Force and make them come here, but commit crimes elsewhere, like in commune 12,” Leonard said.

Jose Luis Rojas, departmental advisor of Paz del Valle, assured that despite the truce agreed between the criminal gangs of “Shottas” and “Espartanos”, within the framework of the Socio-Legal Roundtable with the government of Colombian President Gustavo Petro, last October 11 homicides were recorded and in November 2023 there were more than eleven violent deaths.