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Colombia - Political Flags - Part 7

Last modified: 2021-08-26 by klaus-michael schneider
Keywords: colombia |
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Editorial Remark: It must be noted that all the opinions are of the authors and not of FOTW. Our site is non-political and concentrates only on vexillological issues.


See also:


Social Party of National Unity / Party of the U (Partido Social de Unidad Nacional / Partido de U)

image by Eugene Ipavec, 30 January 2012

image by Eugene Ipavec, 30 January 2012

Social Party of National Unity (Spanish: Partido Social de Unidad Nacional), or Party of the U (Spanish: Partido de U) is a liberal conservative political party (center-right) established in 2005. On June 20, 2010, Colombia elected for the first time in their history a member of the Party of the U to the Presidency of Colombia, that being Juan Manuel Santos (current President).
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_Party_of_National_Unity
The Party's flag is a red (top), yellow (middle), green (bottom) horizontal flag with the logo in the middle.
Screenshot taken on January 27, 2012 of tv slot granted to all political parties before the 7 p.m. news on public television broadcast) This flag can also be found here
Source: http://www.elliberal.com.co/liberal/politica/105136-partido-de-la-u-pide-al-gobierno-que-retire-reforma-a-la-educacion
A variant can also be seen here.  (Source: http://www.eltiempo.com/noticias/partido-de-la-u )
For additional information go to: Partido de la U (official website)
Esteban Rivera, 28 January 2012


United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC - Las Autodefensas Unidas de Colombia)

image by Eugene Ipavec, 17 July 2005

image by Eugene Ipavec, 17 July 2005

image by Eugene Ipavec, 17 July 2005

Name: United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC).
Mothertongue Name: Las Autodefensas Unidas de Colombia (AUC).
Aliases: United Self-Defense Group of Colombia.
Base of Operation: Colombia.
Founding Philosophy: The United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC) was formed to combat the leftist terrorist organizations operating in Colombia, primarily the FARC and ELN. The AUC grew out of the paramilitary and self-defense groups formed in the 1980s. These groups were dedicated to protecting the economic interests of wealthy citizens that were often threatened by groups such as the FARC. The AUC is a nationalist group that protects the Colombian government from the Communist-inspired guerilla movements that threaten it. At first, the various paramilitary groups enjoyed the tacit approval of the Colombian military. The paramilitaries and the Colombian military cooperated in the fight against leftist guerillas. Eventually, however, the close financial connections between the drug cartels and the paramilitaries forced the Colombian military to officially sever ties with the paramilitaries in 1989. Despite this, the military and the AUC have been accused of continuing their collaboration unofficially, and many AUC members are former members of the Colombian military.
The AUC is an umbrella organization comprised of independently operated paramilitary groups. One of these paramilitaries, the Peasant Self-Defense Group of Córdoba and Urabá (ACCU), is thought to have spearheaded the formation of the AUC. Furthermore, Carlos Castaño Gil, the co-founder and leader of the ACCU, is recognized as the on-again/off-again AUC leader.
Current Goals: The AUC serves the interests of Colombian economic elites, drug traffickers, and any local communities that do not support the leftist rebels. According to the AUC, its primary objective is to protect its supporters from leftist guerillas. Clearly, however, the AUC is also keenly interested in controlling the drug trade, which is its primary source of earnings. AUC leader Carlos Castaño claims that 70 percent of the AUC's operational costs are funded by drug-related sources.
The AUC is currently involved in peace negotiations with the Colombian government. These talks, begun in July 2004, focus on the disarmament of AUC blocks and their reintegration into the Colombian Armed Forces in order to provide security in their local strongholds. Like in past processes with Pablo Escobar's group, the AUC is trying to negotiate surrender and disarmament for a promise of non-extradition to the U.S. Despite AUC pledges to work with the American and Colombian governments to take action against cocaine production in the areas in which they operate, the American government has refused to drop their demands for extradition of AUC leaders. This has led to divisions within the group and the slow progress of the talks. Analysts believe that the decline in popular support for the AUC due to the disappointing progress of the talks will lead to the strengthening of the FARC and the ELN in areas once dominated by the AUC.
Official AUC website: www.colombialibre.org, Official AC-BCB website: www.bloquecentralbolivar.org.
Sources: www.tkb.org, en.wikipedia.org. A photo.
E.R., 1 July 2005

Flag 1: First version of the AUC flag (a peasant with a seed bag sowing a field), with the name of the organization on the middle of the flag of Colombia). This flag has been actually flown on many events during the recent peace process between this organization and the Colombian government.
Flag 2: Second version of the AUC flag (name of the organization in black lettering on the top of the flag of Colombia). This flag has been seen on aired TV interviews of top AUC leaders and also on recent events during the recent peace process between this organization and the Colombian government.
Flag 3: Third version of the AUC flag (initials of the organization in white on green background). Attributed flag (I first saw this image on www.worldstatesmen.org a few years ago and I have also seen this image on Colombian media coverage of the peace process: however I have not seen this flag displayed).
For current news on the peace process between the AUC and the Colombian government please reffer to "Alto Comisionado para la paz" (High Commissioner fo Peace), official website: www.altocomisionadoparalapaz.gov.co.
The official website of the AUC is 'Colombia Libre' as the armed movement called 'Los Pepes'. It is believed that the AUC "core" emerged from 'Los Pepes', as the flag of 'Los Pepes' bears the motto "Colombia Libre" (Free Colombia), which is the AUC's website's name.
E.R., 18 July 2005

Peasant Self Defense - Bolivar Central Bloc (ACBCB - Autodefensas Campesinas - Bloque Central Bolívar)

image by Eugene Ipavec, 12 July 2005

image by Eugene Ipavec, 21 February 2006
variant

image by Eugene Ipavec, 21 February 2006
"black variant"

image by Eugene Ipavec and André Coutanche, 1 August 2005
"pennant"

image by Eugene Ipavec and André Coutanche, 26 December 2005
"vertical pennant"

image contributed by E.R., 1 July 2005
Emblem

The ACBCB (Autodefensas Campesinas - Bloque Central Bolívar, or Peasant Self Defense - Bolivar Central Bloc) is one of the main factions of the AUC umbrella organization. It is more commonly referred to as Bloque Central Bolívar (Bolivar Central Bloc, because it was established originally on the Department of Bolívar but it has expanded tremendously to other remote areas of the country).
E.R., 1 July 2005

The "pennant" is based on photo taken during a ceremony of laying down of weapons bu the Bloque Libertadores del Sur, a "sub-bloc" of the much bigger ACBCB and is at www.altocomisionadoparalapaz.gov.co. The "vertical pennant is based on photo taken at the demobilization ceremony of another structure of this paramilitary force, on December 12, 2005 in the Municipality of Remedios, Department of Antioquia as shown at www.altocomisionadoparalapaz.gov.co.
E.R., 1 August and 26 December 2005

The variant is based on photo at www.altocomisionadoparalapaz.gov.co. This is another demobilization ceremony for this AUC faction. This is the second part of the demobilization process. It was held at the Municipality of Santa Rosa del Sur, in th Department of Bolívar.
E.R., 5 February 2006

The "black variant" has a camouflage background, the BCB emblem on the center. On the top it reads AUTODEFENSAS UNIDAS DE COLOMBIA (in white) and on the bottom, beneath the emblem it reads BLOQUE CENTRAL BOLIVAR, also in white.
Source: BCB variant at Demobilization ceremony of one of the factions of the ACBCB. Picture taken on December 12, 2005 at the Municipality of Remedios, Department of Antioquia and appear at www.surimages.com.
E.R., 4 July 2006

Peasant Self-Defense of Casanare (ACC - Autodefensas Campesinas de Casanare)

image by Eugene Ipavec, 17 June 2006

image by Eugene Ipavec, 11 June 2006
Emblem

the ACC (Autodefensas Campesinas de Casanare, or Peasant Self-Defense of Casanare) named as such because they were first established in the eastern plains of Colombia, in the Department of Casanare. This group at some point was part of the AUC confederation, but it broke away. When it was part of the AUC it was called the 'Bloque Oriental' (Eastern Bloc).
In image at the newspaper El Tiempo (The Time, eltiempo.terra.com.co;) taken in the late 90's or early 2000, it shows the flags proportion and also from top to bottom, the symbols displayed: 'ACC' lettering in black, a centaur waving a flag (or at least that's what it seems to me), a shadow of the centaur, and the words 'Bloque Oriental'. Another image has a description as the above, only to mention the colors of the flag, which are red (top), white (center) and green (bottom). The meaning of the colors is unknown to me. Official website at www.llanoadentro.com.
E.R., 20 July 2005 and 9 April 2006

Peasant Self-Defense of Middle Magdalena (ACMM - Autodefensas Campesinas del Magdalena Medio)

image by Eugene Ipavec, 21 February 2006

Image is based on pictures taken during the demobilization ceremony of the Autodefensas Campesinas del Magdalena Medio (ACMM) or Peasant Self-Defense of Middle Magdalena. They are called like that because they are located mainly along the stream of the Magdalena River, operating basically on the borders of the Departments of Antioqiua, Boyacá and Santander. The ACMM comprises six fractions (fronts) and the flag shown is the flag of the founding front, the Frente José Luis Zuluaga (José Luis Zuluaga Front). The ACMM belong to the AUC, the confederation of paramilitary groups in Colombia. The flag is on black background charged with the Coat of Arms.
Sources: Alto Comisionado para la Paz website, CM& TV news of February 7th, 2006.
E.R., 21 February 2006

Heroes of Granada Bloc (Bloque Héroes de Granada)

image by Eugene Ipavec, 2 August 2005

It is the flag of yet another AUC faction, called "Bloque Héroes de Granada" (Heroes of Granada Bloc). It is named after the Municipality of Granada, in the Department of Antioquia. This group will lay down its weapons either tomorrow or the day after, during another demobilization act under the peace process between the AUC and the Colombian government. The flag is the symbol over the Colombian flag. However the flag that "should" come out has a proportion of 1:1 so it's more of a banner (a square with the Colombian tricolour plus the group's emblem on it in the middle). The faction's official website is: www.heroesdegranada.org. I saw this flag this past week during the troop concentration prior to their disposal of arms on August. The flag has a peasant raising his right arm (as the AUC is a far right armed movement) and two crossed spears.
E.R., 1 August 2005

This group surrendered its weapons and all its rural and urban structure, with a total of 2033 armed and unarmed "personnel".
E.R., 2 August 2005

Tolima Bloc (Bloque Tolima)

image by Eugene Ipavec, 5 July 2006

This is a paramilitary organization called Bloque Tolima (Tolima Bloc), for being located on the Department of Tolima. It belonged to the ACCU (Autodefensas Campesinas de Córdoba y Urabá), which at the same time belonged to the much larger AUC (Autodefensas Unidas de Colombia). The Bloque Tolima group laid down its weapons on October 22, 2005, and during this ceremony a flag of the group can be seen. I assume that the flag has the map of Colombia on the left, located horizontally in the middle, and then the words "TOLIMA".
Source: official website of the Alto Comisionado Para la Paz www.altocomisionadoparalapaz.gov.co.
E.R., 23 December 2005

Arauca Victors Bloc (Bloque Vencedores de Arauca)

image by Eugene Ipavec, 24 July 2007
Flag with the old Coat of Arms

image by Eugene Ipavec, 24 July 2007
Flag with the new Coat of Arms

This is yet another faction of the AUC. It is called Bloque Vencedores de Arauca (Arauca Victors Bloc) because it operates in the Department of Arauca. It is a "subbloc" of the ACBCB.
It had two Coat of Arms: the old one and the new one. This group had the Coat of Arms on a white square background, and the flag design is very similar to the Héroes of Granada Bloc, which a plain square background (this time white background only) charged with the Coat of Arms.
In the first Coat of Arms used by the group, an oil mill is seen because the Department of Arauca has plenty of this mineral.
E.R., 24 July 2007


Young Fajardists (Jóvenes Fajardistas)

image by Eugene Ipavec, 3 November 2007
logo

There is a movement called Jóvenes Fajardistas (Young Fajardists), inspired by the Mayor of the City of Medellin Sergio Fajardo Valderrama, who was in office from 2003 to 2007. This movement bears in its logo the outlines of several people, which at the same time are party members. These people are 21 youngsters between the ages of 18 and 32 who are aspiring to the City of Medellin's Council.
Source: Screenshot of blog website of Júvenes Fajardistas, Official website.
E.R., 3 November 2007


Unidentified Flags

1) I saw two flags on the online edition of the Colombian newspaper El Espectador (The Spectator), dated Sunday, September 18, 2005. They are related to an article regarding the crisis in Colombian Labor Unions.
E.R., 19 September 2005

2) I found an article showing two unidentified flags used by Colombian paramilitary forces (no specific faction though). The article dates back to August 30, 2006 published by the newspaper El Colombiano.
The first photo shows a sitting combatant holding a plain white flag with an udientified logo on it, in what seems to be a demobilization ceremony of one of the paramilitary structures that composed the AUC.
The second unknown flag is a black background rectangular-shaped flag, showing two guns in plain white. This flag is shown at a protest rally held in an unknown jail, possibly the High Security jail of Itagüí.
E.R., 1 October 2007