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Colombia: Social and Moral Vanguard of Colombia: Let's Go Colombia (Vanguardia Social y Moral de Colombia "Vamos Colombia," VC); whether the VC is active in Garzón, Huila; whether individuals associated with the VC have been subjected to violence or intimidation by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarios de Colombia, FARC) (1998 - May 2003)

The following information on the Social and Moral Vanguard of Colombia: Let's Go Colombia (Vanguardia Social y Moral de Colombia "Vamos Colombia," VC) is additional to that found in COL41203.E of 6 March 2003.

The "independent" (independiente) VC (Votebien.com 27 Aug. 2002) and its leader, Luis Elmer Arenas Parra, are variously described as deriving support from "reserve officers and non-commissioned officers" (oficiales y suboficiales de la reserva) (El País 21 Feb. 2001); retired members of the state security forces (Radio Caracol 10 Aug. 2002; Viva la Ciudadanía July 2002); "war widows" (viudas de la guerra) and female heads of households (Votebien.com 27 Aug. 2002).

Arenas, currently a senator and vice-president of the Senate's Third Permanent Constitutional Commission on Economic Matters (Comisión Tercera Permanente Constitucional de Asuntos Económicos) (Colombia n.d.; El Colombiano 14 Aug. 2002), backed Alvaro Uribe's presidential campaign (Uribe Presidente 1-9 Mar. 2002). According to the Bogotá newspaper El Espectador, Arenas was one of several parliamentarians working on security-related issues in support of Uribe's legislative programme (23 June 2002). Furthermore, Arenas has been involved in a number of meetings with leaders of guerrilla groups in an attempt to secure the release of captured members of the state security forces (Votebien.com 27 Aug. 2002).

In July 2002, during a visit to Italy by Alvaro Uribe, the New Colombia Association (Asociación Nueva Colombia, ANC) presented a letter to the Italian parliament alleging that Arenas and other parliamentarians were linked to Colombia's paramilitary forces (ANNCOL 20 July 2002). Gustavo Montealegre Almario, a former "left-wing" member of parliament who fled the country after being threatened with death, has also named Arenas as a recipient of financial support from paramilitary groups (ibid. 8 Oct. 2002).

No information on VC activities in Huila department or whether individuals associated with the party have been subjected to violence or intimidation by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarios de Colombia, FARC) could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

Agencia de Noticias Nueva Colombia (ANNCOL). 8 October 2002. Luis Ernesto. "Colombian President Accused of Heading Brutal Killer Network. <http://www.anncol.com/October_eng/0810_Colombian_President_accused_of_heading_brutal_killer_network.htm> [Accessed 15 May 2003]

____. 20 July 2002. Niki Llanos Saman. "Ante parlamento Italiano y europeo fueron presentados nombres de parlamentarios del paramilitarismo que hoy se posesionan en Colombia." <http://www.nodo50.org/ccplancol/procesopaz/parlam.htm> [Accessed 15 May 2003]

Colombia. n.d. Senado de la República. "H.S. Luis Elmer Arenas Parra." <http://senado.gov.co> [Accessed 16 May 2003]

El Colombiano [Medellín]. 14 August 2002. "Comisiones del Congreso ya tienen mesas directivas." <http://www.elcolombiano.com/historicod/200208/20020814/nun034.htm> [Accessed 16 May 2003]

El Espectador [Bogotá]. 23 June 2002. "La mira de Uribe." <http://www.elespectador.com/2002/20020623/politica/nota1.htm> [Accessed 15 May 2003]

El País [Cali]. 21 February 2001. "Fiscalía decide caso Benoit." <http://www.procesodepaz.com/notas/Febrero212001/B521N1.html> [Accessed 15 May 2003]

Radio Caracol [Bogotá]. 10 August 2002. "Congresistas respaldan nueva cúpula militar." <http://www.caracol.com.co/noticias/79850.htm> [Accessed 16 May 2003]

Uribe Presidente. 1-9 March 2002. "Comunicados: La política requiere de un ejercicio intelectual superior." <http://www.alvarouribevelez.com.co/comunicados/com_marz1-9-2002.htm> [Accessed 15 May 2003]

Viva la Ciudadanía. July 2002. Nelson Socha. "Desarmando proyecto de armas." <http://www.vivalaciudadania.org/cajas/caja85/htm/mural/mural.htm> [Accessed 15 May 2003]

Votebien.com. 27 August 2002. "Congreso: Senado 2002-2006 Luis Elmer Arenas Parra." <http://www.terra.com.co/elecciones_2002/congreso_2002_2006_2/27-08-2002/nota66381.html> [Accessed 15 May 2003]

Additional Sources Consulted

IRB databases

World News Connection (WNC)

Unsuccessful attempts to contact Luis Elmer Arenas Parra

Internet sites, including:

Colombia Support Network

Diario de Huila [Neiva]

El Colombiano [Medellín]

El País [Calí]

Huila.com

Radio Caracol [Bogotá]

Revista Cambio [Bogotá]

Semana [Bogotá]

Topics: Militias,