US State Depertament. Public domain.
“He is an ordinary citizen. The farmers say he is a man who understands the people and talks to them in their own language. He is a brother. He has become a role model.” This is how a citizen from the Colombian department of Norte de Santander, close to the Venezuelan border, described Megateo when I chatted with residents of the region of Catatumbo during my trip to the area a few years ago.
The violent death of this man through a Colombian military operation earlier this month was celebrated by the national and international media as a big success. One of the most wanted drug kingpins of Colombia, his death was an important blow against the illegal cocaine industry. Nevertheless, the residents of Catatumbo have little reason to celebrate. For them, the near future could be even harder, featuring an escalation of violence unseen under Megateo’s rule.
