SUMMARY

In 2013, in the city of Barranquilla, Los Costeños emerged as a splinter group of Los Rastrojos. Los Rastrojos had arrived in Barranquilla after the demobilization of the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC), intending to compete for control of illegal activities with other armed groups. During these territorial battles, Los Rastrojos fragmented, leading to the creation of Los Costeños.

Led by Jorge Eliécer Díaz, alias 'El Castor,' Los Costeños quickly became a powerful force in the local organized crime scene. In 2016, they formed a strategic alliance with the Gaitanista Army of Colombia (EGC), which allowed them to solidify their control over Barranquilla and surrounding municipalities such as Soledad and Malambo. This partnership allowed them to dominate micro-trafficking and subcontract local criminal groups.

In 2019, the alliance between Los Costeños and the EGC began to fall apart following the capture of their leader, alias 'El Castor,' in Venezuela. This event triggered internal conflicts and a restructuring within the organization, leading to the emergence of a rival faction known as Los Pepes, led by Digno Palomino Rodríguez in 2022.

This rivalry ignited an urban conflict in Barranquilla from 2022 onwards, with 'Los Pepes' and 'Los Costeños' fiercely competing for territorial control and illegal activities.

The non-state conflict between Los Costenos – Los Pepes first became active in UCDP data in 2023, centered in the Atlántico department.