Arrested in Tibú: alias "Pollo" captured in connection with murder of minor recruited by FARC dissidents
Military Forces and National Police arrested in Norte de Santander the alleged leader of Structure 33, under investigation for the death of Mónica Liseth Beltrán, aged 14.
Arrest in Tibú: alleged perpetrator of murder of girl forcibly recruited by dissident groups captured
Military Forces and the National Police detained a man known as alias "Pollo" in the Villa Paz neighbourhood of the municipality of Tibú, Norte de Santander, identified as the alleged leader of Structure 33 of FARC dissidents, according to infobae.com. The operation links him to the homicide of Mónica Liseth Beltrán, a 14-year-old seventh-grade student forcibly recruited in April in the Catatumbo region.
At the time of his detention, in this strategic zone of the Catatumbo subregion, a pistol with 12 rounds of ammunition was seized from the arrested man. Units from the National Army, Colombian Air Force and National Police participated in the intelligence operation.
The President of the Republic, Abelardo de la Espriella, confirmed the arrest through a post on the social network X, where he highlighted coordination among security agencies. "In the Villa Paz neighbourhood of Tibú, the Army, Air Force and Police captured alias 'Pollo', leader of Structure 33. He is being investigated for his involvement in the murder of Mónica Liseth Beltrán, aged 14, a victim of forced recruitment," wrote the president.
The case of Mónica Liseth Beltrán
The death of the minor was confirmed on the night of Sunday 20 September, when the news was communicated to her father. According to her parents' complaint, members of the FARC dissident group forcibly recruited her in April in Catatumbo.
The case provoked public rejection from the National Association of Victims of Armed Conflict. Its president and social leader from Norte de Santander, Olguín Mayorga, categorically condemned the facts. "We firmly reject the murder of girl Mónica Liseth Beltrán, who had been recruited by the FARC dissident group last April," Mayorga declared, and also urged armed groups operating in Catatumbo to respect International Humanitarian Law and release the minors in their custody.
Alarming figures on child recruitment
This homicide adds to the figures documented by the Ombudsman's Office on recruitment of minors. Between 1 January and 31 August 2026, the entity recorded 113 cases of child recruitment nationwide. Of that total, 25 correspond to the department of Norte de Santander, positioning it as the second most affected region in the country, behind Cauca.
Parallel operation in Risaralda
Simultaneously with the operation in Tibú, President De la Espriella reported a second action carried out in the municipality of La Virginia, Risaralda, called Operation Ghost. In that procedure, National Police officers captured 16 alleged members of the drug trafficking and microtraficking network known as La Cordillera. Among those detained are individuals identified with the aliases "Manotas" and "Michael", accused of coordinating the distribution of bazuco and cocaine in that area of the territory.
Charges before the Prosecution
Following the joint operation in Villa Paz, alias "Pollo" was transferred under custody and placed at the disposal of the Attorney General's Office. He must answer before a rights protection judge for the crimes of illegal possession of firearms, criminal conspiracy, forced recruitment and aggravated homicide of a protected person.
Source: Google News CO — Crime