The farewell of the head of a criminal gang breaks the quarantine in a Colombian neighborhood | Society

No quarantine or virus was going to prevent members of the Niquía Camacol gang from firing their boss, Édgar Pérez Hernández, alias El Oso. He had died in prison of a heart attack far from his native Bello, a populous city close to Medellin. So once he was transferred, members of this group and a hundred people broke into the coffin on the sloping streets of the neighborhood with his coffin on his shoulder.

The caravan that traveled 10 blocks and was recorded on video had an antecedent: five minutes of shooting in the air that, however, did not imitate anyone. For years, this band has dominated the territory. As explained by a source in the area who asked not to identify himself, it is the visible power, those who employ the “combo”, who provide security. That is why, although there are those who believe that there were people forced to go to the funeral caravan, many think that they also did it out of sympathy.

The huge signs and white balloons that presided over the procession reflect all the logistics behind it. “Who dies does not die. One who forgets dies, “read one of them, while another even more direct said:” Bear we love you. “Behind, the body of the man that the Police had captured last December when he was having a party in the middle of the street. At that time, the community organized to prevent him from being detained and the neighbors threw stones, hot water or oil at the uniformed men who tried to take him away. against who would be the ringleader of the criminal structure Niquía Camacol, in Bello. It would be alias El Oso, one of the most wanted by the Medellín Police. “

So it was not surprising that despite the mandatory isolation order across the country, so many people crowded around the coffin regardless of the risk of getting coronavirus. “And it is also not surprising that the Police had done nothing to stop the funeral procession. If they had done something we would be talking about the dead in complete safety, ”said an expert on urban violence in Medellín.

Beyond the viral video and the reactions, the caravan reflects the power of illegality in the city of Bello. Between January and October of last year alone there were 117 homicides in a population of 530,000 inhabitants. Alias ​​El Oso was one of the protagonists of that story of confrontation between his band and other historical ones such as Los Pachelli and Mesa. He was also a member of Bello’s most wanted cartel and for his head the authorities offered up to 50 million pesos, about $ 13,000. At 50, he was an old acquaintance from the underworld and with several entrances and exits from prison. In 2001, in 2007 and, finally, in 2019. He was serving a conviction for aggravated crime, extortion and forced displacement.

The mayor of the town, Óscar Andrés Pérez, said in local media that it was a regrettable fact that some 50 people had to be punished for violating the quarantine. “The Police move to the site to control the situation. It is possible to sanction some people for violation of the quarantine, but it is not possible to act with more force on the part of the public force because some children also accompanied him in the march, “he assured.

Information about the coronavirus

– Here you can follow the last hour on the evolution of the pandemic

– The coronavirus map: how cases grow day by day and country by country

– Coronavirus questions and answers

– Guide to action against the disease

– If you have symptoms, these are the phones that have been enabled in every country in Latin America.

–

Due to the exceptional circumstances, EL PAÍS is offering all its digital content for free. Information regarding the coronavirus will remain open as long as the severity of the crisis persists.

Dozens of journalists work tirelessly to bring you the most rigorous coverage and fulfill your public service mission. If you want to support our journalism you can do it here for 1 euro the first month (from June 10 euros). Subscribe to the facts.

Subscribe–