Colombian militia leader’s disappearance sparks mystery
Former paramilitary leader Rodrigo Franco, says he believes Castano is dead. "With the death of Carlos, the drug traffickers have won and Colombia has lost the possibility that Castano could have contributed to the demobilisation process," Franco said.
More than a year ago, Castano initiated peace talks with the government. He also publicly condemned militia members who continued to traffic in drugs, and that may have been his undoing.
Castano is also wanted by the United States on charges that he and Salvatore Mancuso, the head of the United Self-Defence Forces of Colombia, or the AUC, trafficked tons of cocaine to US shores.
Castano helped create the paramilitary forces, but many of those loosely allied groups have morphed into drug gangs, which along with their rebel foes, control a large share of cocaine production and smuggling that funds their war. The paramilitary movement is divided over drug trafficking, but those still in the business in Colombia the world's biggest producer of cocaine appear to be gaining the upper hand.
The disappearance of Castano, the best-known paramilitary figure, will probably throw the peace talks into disarray, said military analyst Alfredo Rangel.
"A single negotiating table is not viable, because between the groups there are enormous differences," Rangel said.
Castano disappeared on April 16 during a gun battle at a ranch in northwest Colombia where he was hiding out. After the death of six bodyguards, Castano either managed to escape, or was killed and his body disposed of.
Mancuso said he believed Castano was alive, and had either wanted to step out of the limelight or else had gone to cut a deal with US authorities. US Ambassador William Wood claimed US officials have had no contact with Castano.
But with more than a week having passed with no sign of Castano, many observers feel he may be dead.
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