{
  "id": 9172817,
  "title": "De La Espriella vows to get ‘Pinocho’ after death of paramilitary leader in Santa Marta",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/22/de-la-espriella-vows-to-get-pinocho-after-death-of-paramilitary",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-22T16:55:38.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The City Paper Bogotá",
    "slug": "the-city-paper-bogota",
    "url": "https://thecitypaperbogota.com/news/de-la-espriella-vows-to-get-pinocho-after-death-of-paramilitary-leader-in-santa-marta/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Santa Marta found itself in a state of quiet on Tuesday, with empty streets, shut shops, and halted transportation following the death of a key member of the Autodefensas Conquistadoras de la Sierra Nevada (ACSN). President Abelardo De La Espriella pledged to hunt down the group's leadership. José Luis Pérez Villanueva, also known as “Cholo”, was killed during a security operation in rural Santa Marta on Monday. Six other alleged members of the ACSN were killed, and three were captured. The operation led to retaliatory actions from the ACSN, including roadblocks along the Troncal del Caribe and the burning of buses. Essential services and intermunicipal transport to La Guajira were suspended, with schools and businesses closing due to fears of an announced armed strike. De La Espriella arrived in Santa Marta late Monday night, accompanied by helicopters. He declared the ACSN's loss of a \"principal commander\" and vowed to pursue the group's leadership, stating, \"They have been falling like rats: ‘Bendito Menor’, ‘Cholo’, and very soon ‘Pinocho’.\" The ACSN is a powerful armed criminal organization operating in the Sierra Nevada and Caribbean regions, associated with drug trafficking, extortion, and control of illicit economies and territory along the Troncal del Caribe. The government views the operation as a significant blow to the organization's command structure and finances, but the aftermath has been felt by civilians, who have experienced a decline in security, disrupted commercial activity, and suspended public transport. Indigenous communities in the Sierra Nevada have expressed concerns over the risks of forced displacement and the use of civilians as human shields. The president's uncompromising response has been met with mixed reactions, as communities grapple with the immediate challenges of maintaining safety and stability in the region.",
  "summary": "Santa Marta woke on Tuesday to deserted streets, closed businesses and suspended transport following the killing of a senior commander of the Autodefensas Conquistadoras de la Sierra Nevada (ACSN), as President Abelardo De La Espriella vowed to pursue the armed group’s leadership. José Luis Pérez Villanueva, alias “Cholo”, described by authorities as the second commander […]",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}