- Ernesto Báez
Infobox Military Person
name=Iván Roberto Duque Gaviria
lived=
caption=
nickname=Ernesto Báez
placeofbirth=Aguadas, Caldas
COL
placeofdeath=
allegiance=United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC)
Paramilitarism
Narcotrafficking
branch=
serviceyears=
rank= Bloc commander
unit=Bolivar Central Bloc
commands=
battles=
awards=
relations=
laterwork=Iván Roberto Duque Gaviria aka Ernesto Báez (born
May 9 ,1955 in Aguadas, Caldas) is aColombia n paramilitary leader former member of the demobilizedUnited Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC). Duque-Gaviria graduated as a lawyer from the "Universidad de Caldas ".Duque Gaviria began his career as a member of the
Colombian Liberal Party , he was democratically elected as Mayor of the municipality of La Merced and later worked for the "Empresas Públicas de Manizales ". In 1982 founded the "Asociación Campesina de Ganaderos y Agricultores del Magdalena Medio", ACDEGAM (Ranchers and Farmers of the Middle Magdalena Peasant Association) inPuerto Boyaca presumably as a facade for the creation of paramilitary groups for the troubled region. Duque Gaviria became an adviser to this organization and was later arrested in connection to paramilitary organizations accused by theAttorney General of Colombia . He was arrested and imprisoned at La Modelo Maximum Security Prison under assassination and conformation of illegal paramilitary groups charges.AUC commander
After being released from jail Duque met with
Peasant Self-Defense Forces of Córdoba and Urabá ,Carlos Castaño who was at the moment developing theUnited Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC) Duque joined him and went clandestine under the alias "Ernesto Baez". Castaño and Baez decided to create a major group for theMiddle Magdalena Region called "Bolivar Central Bloc ("Bloque Central Bolívar", BCB) with Baez as commander. After sometime of cordiality between Castaño and Baez their views towards each other resented to the point of becoming enemies.Baez disliked how Castaño became the de facto speaker of the organization and also had differences with another paramilitary with affinities with Castaño with the alias of "
Doble Cero " commander of theMetro Bloc after the killing of two members of the BCB in 2002 in an internal cleansing. This episode led to Baez' decision to work closely withDiego Fernando Murillo Bejarano (aka "Adolfo Paz" aka "Don Berna") and Castano's brotherVicente Castaño . In 2004 Vicente ordered the assassination of his own brother Carlos and "Doble Cero".During the
AUC demobilization Baez was granted immunity and political status by thegovernment of Colombia as member of the AUC and later surrendered under the Law of Peace and Justice" "Ley de Justicia y Paz ") He is currently serving time in a Colombian prison for paramilitarism.ee also
*
United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia External links
* [http://www.prensarural.org/vargas20040804.htm El verdadero rostro de Ernesto Baez]
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