SUMMARY

In 2022, in the city of Barranquilla, the faction known as Los Pepes emerged as a splinter group from Los Costeños. This new faction was led by Digno Palomino Rodríguez, who had previously been part of the leadership of Los Costeños alongside Jorge Eliécer Díaz, alias ‘El Castor.’ Los Costeños had established their dominance in the local organized crime scene since their formation in 2013, following a split from Los Rastrojos. Los Rastrojos had arrived in Barranquilla after the demobilization of the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC), aiming to control illegal activities in competition with other armed groups.

Los Costeños, under the leadership of 'El Castor,' quickly became a powerful force. In 2016, they formed a strategic alliance with the Gaitanista Army of Colombia (EGC), solidifying their control over Barranquilla and extending their influence to surrounding areas such as Soledad and Malambo This partnership gave them dominance over micro-trafficking and the subcontracting of local criminal groups.

In 2019, both Jorge Eliécer Díaz and Digno Palomino Rodríguez were captured in Venezuela. This event weakened the alliance between Los Costeños and the EGC, triggering internal conflicts and a restructuring within the organization. These internal tensions led to the creation of Los Pepes, a rival faction led by Digno Palomino Rodríguez.

Starting in 2022, this rivalry ignited an intense urban conflict in Barranquilla, with Los Pepes y 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.