President Abelardo de la Espriella ordered the fifth bombing of his government in the early hours of this Thursday, October 22, with his administration about to complete just three months in office. The Colombian Air Force attack targeted the ELN‘s ‘Jose Maria Becerra’ unit of the Southwestern War Front, which operates illegally in the departments of Cauca and Narino, in southwestern Colombia.
During the operation carried out by the authorities, which was led by Colombia’s Joint Special Operations Command (CCOES), nine members of the illegal armed group were killed, including the unit’s leader, Neftali Riascos Alegria, alias ‘Marcos Pacifico’, who had been engaged in criminal activities for more than 30 years.
The Long Criminal Record of Alias ‘Marcos Pacifico’
President De la Espriella described the operation, carried out in a rural area of the municipality of El Tambo, Cauca, as a “devastating blow to ELN narcoterrorism in southwestern Colombia,” and highlighted its impact on the command structure and operational capacity of that criminal group in the Colombian Pacific region.
He also said that alias ‘Marcos Pacifico’ served as the second-in-command and military leader of the ELN’s Southwestern War Front, as well as the top leader of the ‘Jose Maria Becerra’ front. He accused him of being “responsible for directing three narcoterrorist fronts operating in Cauca, Narino, and Valle del Cauca.”
The leader is reportedly linked to kidnappings, bombings, and attacks against members of the security forces in Cali and Buenaventura. He is also accused of having issued orders to ELN urban militias during the 2022 protests.
According to military information, alias ‘Marcos Pacifico’ moved between the municipalities of Iscuande, Argelia, El Tambo, Timbiqui, and Guapi, Cauca.
De la Espriella stressed that this bombing represents a blow to the group’s military structure and territorial command, as well as to its urban networks in the Colombian Pacific region.
“Let all narcoterrorists be clear about this: there will not be a single corner of Colombia where they can hide from the legitimate force of the State,” the head of state warned, reiterating that his government would continue its operations against these organizations: “We will pursue them relentlessly, dismantle their structures, and put an end to their ability to spread terror among Colombians.”
A Series of Bombings Against Armed Groups
The fifth bombing ordered by De la Espriella comes amid military operations against illegal armed groups operating in southwestern Colombia. The operation seeks to strike ELN targets in Narino, a department bordering Ecuador where different armed groups are fighting for territorial control and illegal economic activities.
In keeping with his communication style, on Thursday afternoon the president released a video in which he authorizes Defense Minister Jorge Mora to carry out the attack against the ELN unit.
The ELN’s Southwestern War Front is made up of the ‘Jose Maria Becerra’, ‘Manuel Vasquez Castano’, and ‘Luis Carlos Cardenas Arbelaez’ fronts, as well as the ‘Milton Hernandez’ and ‘Juan Carlos Chihuezo Pazzu’ companies.
The first bombing ordered by De la Espriella was carried out on the night of August 10, three days after he was sworn in as President of the Republic, in rural areas between Tibú and San Calixto, in the Catatumbo region of Norte de Santander, targeting ELN structures.
The second bombing (Operation Amon) took place on August 27, 2026, in a rural area of El Retorno, in the department of Guaviare, in the southeastern part of the country, targeting the Jorge Suarez Briceno Bloc of the FARC dissident groups under the command of alias ‘Calarca’.
The third bombing (Operation Azarias) was then carried out on August 30, in the Lagos del Dorado rural settlement, in the municipality of Miraflores, also in Guaviare, targeting the ‘Carolina Ramirez’ front of the FARC dissident groups under the command of alias ‘Ivan Mordisco’. The fourth bombing took place on October 10 in the Catatumbo region, targeting Front 33 of the FARC dissident groups.