The Caribbean Bloc of the FARC-EP is a medium-sized FARC-EP bloc which operates in the Northern areas of Colombia and along the Caribbean coast, with routes and access to the coast being strategically important, and is thus sometimes referred to as the Northern Bloc. At the end of the 1990s the group had much control over the rural areas connecting the urban centers of the Caribbean Region, but has since been forced to retreat into the more inhospitable Andes. The group's leaders have been held responsible for numerous kidnappings and killings along the entire Caribbean coast, including the urban centers Cartagena, Barranquilla, Valledupar and Santa Marta. This bloc was also the center of the high-profile kidnapping of Fernando Araújo, who recovered his freedom during an Colombian National Army offensive in early 2007.

The specific divisions of the group are arguable. Because of the current conflict existing in the country, much of the information recovered is conflicting and should not be taken as absolutely reliable. Some of the believed divisions or "fronts", as they are commonly call them, are shown below. It is worth noting that many of these fronts sometimes work together towards a certain mission, while others are further divided into "columns" and "companies" with a smaller number of members. For more general information see FARC-EP Chain of Command.

[edit] Commanders

[edit] 19th Front

Also known as the José Prudencio Padilla Front, it is composed by up to 200 combatants and operates mostly in the Magdalena Department.

• Includes the Marcos Sánchez Castellón Mobile Column.

[edit] 35th Front

Also known as the Benkos Bioho Front, it is composed by up to 220 combatants and operates mostly in the Sucre Department.

[edit] 37th Front

This front is considered by many to be the most dangerous faction of the Caribbean Bloc. It is composed by up to 250 combatants and operates mostly in the Bolívar Department.

• Includes the Cacique Yurbaco Column.

[edit] 41st Front

Also known as the Cacique Upar Front, this front is composed by up to 180 combatants and operates mostly in the Cesar Department.

[edit] 59th Front

This front is composed by up to 120 combatants and operates mostly in the Guajira Department and Cesar Department.

[edit] José Antequera Urban Front

This urban network is directly composed by 30 combatants, although its network is suspected to include a much larger number of members. It is considered FARC's greatest influence in the coastal city Barranquilla. Its suspected leader was arrested in 2006.

[edit] See also

v • d • e Colombian Armed Conflict and Solution
Participants in Colombian armed conflict			Timeline	Key aspects
			• Separation of Panama from Colombia • Banana Massacre (1928) • La Violencia (1948-1958) • Marquetalia Republic • The National Front • Dominican embassy (1980) • Palace of Justice (1985) • Patriotic Union Party extermination • Humanitarian exchange • Mapiripán Massacre (1997) • Peace process (1999-2002) • Bojayá massacre (2002) • Valle del Cauca Deputies hostage crisis (2002-Present) • El Nogal Club bombing (2003) • Parapolitics scandal (2006–7) • Operation Emmanuel • Andean diplomatic crisis (2008) • Operation Jaque	Lawsuits  • Sinaltrainal v. Coca-Cola (2001) • Rodriquez v. Drummond (2003) • Doe v. Chiquita (2007)  Kidnappings  • Kidnappings in Colombia • List of political hostages held by FARC  Illegal drug trade  • Illegal drug trade in Colombia • War on Drugs • Narcoterrorism  Government aspects  • Democratic security • Plan Colombia • Plan Patriota • U.S.-Colombia relations • Human rights in Colombia • Politics of Colombia
Guerrillas	Government of Colombia	Paramilitaries
• ELN • FARC-EP • EPL Former guerrillas • M19 • MOEC • CGSB • ERP • Ricardo Franco Front Linked to • PCCC • Foro de São Paulo • Cuban revolutionaries • Provisional IRA • ANNCOL • Fighters + Lovers • Colombian drug cartels • Some politicians	Military of Colombia: National Army Air Force Navy Colombian Naval Infantry National Police Other: DAS intelligence Attorney General units Former government program • CONVIVIR Linked to • DynCorp International • United Nations • United States • European Union	• Águilas Negras Former paramilitaries • AUC • AAA Linked to • Spearhead Ltd • Colombian drug cartels • CONVIVIR • Some Colombian military personnel • Some politicians
	Colombian armed conflict at Wiktionary  Colombian armed conflict at Wikibooks      Colombian armed conflict at Wikiquote  Colombian armed conflict at Wikisource       Colombian armed conflict at Commons  Colombian armed conflict at Wikinews

[edit] Notes