The borderland cocaine wars

The borderland cocaine wars

Author: Joshua Collins January 29, 2026 Duration: 31:12

With US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, saying the US will resume attacks on Venezuela if the government doesn’t cooperate with US security concerns. Chief among those concerns are Colombian armed groups who smuggle cocaine into Venezuela.

To really dig into the data about exactly how that works, and what ongoing conflict in the borderlands might look like with US involvement, we sat down with Adriaan Alsema from Colombia Reports.

It’s everything you wanted to know about every armed group on the frontier, and exactly how the cocaine trade works. We also talk about a few things you wish you’d never learned.

We understand that keeping all the armed groups straight can be confusing. Here is a handy guide to the acronyms!

* AGC: “Clan del Golfo”

* ACSN: The Conquistador Self-Defense Forces of the Sierra Nevadas: a paramilitary group that operates primary near the Atlantic coast. Also called “the Pachenkos”

* ELN: The National Liberation Army

* Frente Comunes del Sur: a former ELN group that splintered off to engage in negotiations with the Colombian government. They are in the process of disarming

* Segunda Marquetalia, EMC, and EMFB: Three distinct FARC dissident groups that all maintain a presence in the Colombian-Venezuelan borderlands

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Hasta pronto, piratas!



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Hosted by Joshua Collins, Pirate Wire Radio delivers original journalism focused on the complex realities of Latin America. This isn't a surface-level recap of headlines; it's a deep, narrative-driven exploration of the forces shaping the region. Each episode moves beyond the news cycle to connect political shifts and economic currents with the deeply human stories unfolding on the ground. You'll hear about crime, the drug trade, cultural movements, and societal changes, all presented through rigorous reporting and firsthand perspectives. The podcast aims to provide context often missing from mainstream coverage, weaving together analysis of current events with documentary-style storytelling. For anyone seeking to understand the true texture of life and power across Latin America, from boardrooms and government palaces to street corners and rural communities, this show offers an essential, unvarnished listen. Tune in for a compelling and nuanced portrait of a dynamic part of the world, delivered directly through your preferred podcast app.
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