SUMMARY
AUC was a nationwide paramilitary organisation formed in 1997 with the prime stated objective to fight against left-wing guerrilla groups in Colombia and promote right-wing policies. A possible precursor to AUC appeared in 1995 under the name ACC (Autodefensas de los Campesinos de Colombia; Peasant Self-Defense Groups of Colombia). The formation of a nationwide paramilitary organisation was in particular promoted by the Castaño brothers who were leaders of ACCU (Autodefensas Campesinas de Córdoba y Urabá, Peasant Self-Defense Groups of Córdoba and Urabá), one of several Colombian paramilitary groups formed in the 1980s. ACCU participated in earlier attempts to build a larger organization of paramilitary groups in order to expand its military operations. It had also been active politically, most notably through an organisation for civic improvements and aid to paramilitary sympathisers called ACDEGAM (Asociación Campesina de Agricultores y Ganaderos del Magdalena Medio, Association of Peasants and Ranchers of the Middle Magdalena), which led to the short-lived political party MORENA (Movimento de Restoración Nacional, National Restoration Movement).
In November 1994, the first summit of paramilitary leaders was held, but it was not until the second meeting in 1997 that AUC was created by ACCU and six other paramilitary groups from northern Colombia. The network grew quickly and held its first National Congress of AUC in August 1999 where it was decided that the group should campaign for political recognition. AUC were believed to have links to some local military commanders, and it often recruited its troops among former Colombian army soldiers.
AUC were led by Carlos Castaño during several years, even though the organization was characterized by a fairly loose structure. Divisions within the leadership about its involvement in the drug trade led to a statement by Castaño when he suddenly resigned and dissolved the organization for a brief period in 2002. Two years later, Castaño was murdered by competing factions of AUC and the main leadership passed to military chief Salvatore Mancuso even though the organization after that often was represented by multiple leaders in public settings. AUC signed an agreement with the government in 2003 to demobilize its forces, a process that was concluded in 2006.
AUC has been involved in the non-state and one-sided categories of UCDP organised violence.
