The World Today
Colombian President Gustavo Petro announced this Friday the arrest of the brother of the leader of the dissident Central General Staff (EMC) of the former FARC, Néstor Vera Fernández, alias "Iván Mordisco," who is accused of serving as head of finance and logistics in the dissident group's drug trafficking activities.
"Iván Mordisco's brother captured in Peñón, Cundinamarca: Luis Hernádo Vera Fernández," Petro reported in a brief post on his social media account.
The arrest took place within the framework of 'Operation Medusa XII', led by the Colombian National Police, which has attributed to the detainee – alias 'Mono Luis' – the role of "coordinator of drug trafficking, criminal finances and logistics of the FARC dissidents in the center and south of the country."
This arrest comes after the Colombian town of Florencia, in Caquetá, was shaken awake early Friday morning by a powerful explosion, which only caused material damage. This comes less than 24 hours after other attacks in Cali and Antioquia, which combined have left around twenty dead and dozens injured.
Local authorities have attributed these attacks to dissidents led by Néstor Vera Fernández, known as "Iván Mordisco," although they have not ruled out the possibility that those led by "Calarcá" are behind them. For its part, the central government is pointing the finger at the Clan del Golfo.
