Name? Dairo Antonio ‘Otoniel’ Úsuga David
Westphalian identity? Colombian
Age? 50
Why is he in the news? Dairo Antonio Úsuga David, aka Otoniel, aka the biggest drug lord in Colombia, was captured by Colombian police forces during their Operation Osiris. Otoniel is the leader of the Clan del Golfo, an armed paramilitary group slash drug cartel that is wanted for illicit drug dealing, recruitment, and unfortunately child abuse.
Why do we care? Otoniel is a big deal in Colombia. His status is similar to that of Pablo Escobar in the 90s, making his arrest nearly as significant. His network has been active for over a decade, boasting over 3.000 members and working in 250 Colombian municipalities.
Why should you care? Otoniel’s cartel provides 80% of Spain’s cocaine supply and is estimated to control around 75% of supply in Europe. Not to mention that his networks reach all the way to Albania. Thus, Otoniel’s arrest is a significant hit on the Cartel del Golfo and a win for President Duque abroad, who is currently losing his own war on drugs in Colombia. You should care 3/10.
Who else cares? US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken. His State Department offered a reward of up to $5m for any information that could lead to Otoniel’s arrest. Security in LATAM is a priority for Blinken as he seeks to control illegal drug and human trafficking into US territory. Otoniel will be extradited to and tried in the US, making him the fourth Latin American criminal extradited there in the past couple of weeks.
Any further comments? Let’s not get ahead of ourselves kids, the Cartel del Golfo can work without Otoniel. Cartels this large are prepared to fill such a significant vacancy. Duque can’t take his hands off the Cartel del Golfo just yet. Moreover, taking down large cartels can create more problems than it solves by creating infighting, breaking up monopolies, and fueling violent competition.
