Colombia Passport

The defeated of Don Mario, the drugs’ lord of Envigado, created a power vacuum among the several gangs throughout the Metropolitan Area of Medellín. The recent events of violence in different sectors, especially poorest districts like Doce de Octubre, Castilla and Aranjuez, is explained in the ambition of smallest drug lords to control the illegal markets of the city. We got an interview with Jackson, a 20 years old who belongs to one of those gangs. His name has been changed to protect his identity.

Why this war among gangs? What is the real problem?

Jackson: The problem is for the plazas of vice (drugs), the control of them… a competence [among the gangs] for who sell more than…

The war is for the command, the power, the control, to get the vaccines [extortion], to hold the vigilance [of the barrios].

The war was began long time ago by the Mate Caña gang. The war began when there is traition, when the companions of a combo (gang) leave for other combo and like that. For those kind of things.

It is also because they captured alias Don Mario and it has to see directly with the murders in the city, because he had the control of everything.

Tell us a little about your combo (gang).

The combo is made by at least 32 men, all well armed to the teeth. Our modus operandi is sicario (hire killers), drug dealers and follow orders, orders issued from the top.

Our enemies are those of the Hueco (Hole, the name of a place), the Matas Cañas, the Buche Pájaros (Bird Crop gang), the Prefa, those of the 101 Street, those of the Ventiadero (Windy) and those from Barrio Córdoba. They are only some of our enemies, because the fight is day after day.

In this war we have lost at least five companions.

The members of the combo are between 18 to 30 years old and we do not include minors by principle.

How are the battles with those other combos

The main battles are with those of the Hueco. They come up to harass our territory. We return them back with our guns, answering to them. Some times we go down to harass them too.

How is the reaction of the Police in the barrios?

The Police knows nothing. They said that they will react also. They make harassments too, but they have a very bad reaction.

Do they react in a violent way?

Yes, they also. If you give them the opportunity, they will shoot you, because they have identified some of us. The combos react honestly.

Has innocent people fallen in this war?

Yes, unfortunately. For example, alias Toto, he was a good boy, a good student. They killed him because he passed by a street that the people of a certain sector were not allowed to pass, even if they were innocent…

Has your combo been invited by the Mayor to dialogues of peace or by the authorities?

Yes, they have invited to the dialogue. But it does not work out, because the Mayor has not word (they do not fulfil their promises). For example [they did not fulfil the promised of] study, financial support and so on.

We would participate but with the only condition that they fulfil every promise.

During the Mayor period of Sergio Fajardo people thought that the peace arrived to Medellín. Do you believe that it was false? Do you think that Medellín became violent as before? Do you think that peace is possible for Medellín?

Yes, it was true, the time of Sergio Fajardo was good, the violence in Medellín was reduced very much. This problem is because the combos want to control the drug plazas. It is possible the peace but with the help of the President, with more public forces and civil authorities in the barrios.

Has you been in danger of losing your life? Are you afraid to lose your life?

No at the moment, fortunately no, thanks that many combos do not know me and my profile is low. Yes, I am afraid to lost my life, of course, especially thinking in my cucha (mom), because that would make her to suffer too much.

Speak a little about you: how old are you, what is your work, studies, sport, what do you do in your free time, how did you become a gangster… do you dream to change your life?

I am 20 years old. I work selling drugs and washing cars. I play only soccer and sometimes. In my free time I just stay relaxing at home, nothing more, you know…

I became a member of the combo because I offered myself to sell drugs, because I was very poor and I was all the time without a cent in the pocket, and you know, we need money. It was not normal, of course and sometimes I feel afraid, but it’s okay.

Yes, I would like to change my life for other thing, like a honest job, to have a future, something like that, yes.

Let us make a game: Let us consider that you are the Mayor of Medellín and that you have the solution for this war among the combos. What would you be your program?

My program is to meet them, talk to them, offer work to them, study, everything as it was made by Sergio Fajardo. I will do exactly the same of Fajardo.

Major Alonso Salazar is offering projects of peace for the city, with the creation of Secure Zones, increasing security forces, curfew for minors and other things… What do you think about the proposals of the Mayor? Are they effective according to your opinion?

No, the proposals of the Mayor are not effective. Since he took power, Medellín changed too much. It returned to the war. It returns the theft, the sicarios… there was more Police, but at the same time more violence.

What is the slongang of your life?

Move forward with my mom.