Colombian Forces Kill FARC Dissident Commander Linked to Kidnappings in Valle del Cauca
The death of a mid-level armed group commander in Jamundí tests whether targeted operations can reduce violence in a municipality where state authority remains contested.
Colombian security forces killed William Andrés Daza Guetio, known by the alias "Pincher," during an operation in Jamundí, in the Valle del Cauca department, according to El Tiempo. Daza Guetio served as the local commander of the dissident faction known as "Jaime Martínez," a splinter group that broke from the 2016 FARC peace agreement with the Colombian government.
The operation was carried out by Colombia's Fuerza Pública, the combined military and police security structure, according to El Tiempo. The outlet reported that Daza Guetio had been identified as responsible for kidnappings and homicides in the Jamundí area, though specific case numbers were not disclosed in the available reporting.
Jamundí is located in the southern portion of Valle del Cauca, adjacent to the city of Cali. The region has remained a focal point of armed group activity following the 2016 peace accord, as dissident FARC factions that rejected the agreement have competed with other criminal organizations for territorial control.
The "Jaime Martínez" faction takes its name from a deceased FARC commander and is classified by Colombian authorities as one of the principal dissident structures operating in the Pacific corridor. The Colombian government does not recognize these factions as political actors and has pursued them through military operations rather than negotiation.
President Gustavo Petro, who took office in August 2022, has pursued a policy he describes as "total peace," which involves parallel negotiations with multiple armed groups, including some FARC dissident factions. However, talks with the "Jaime Martínez" structure have faced repeated interruptions. The government has not publicly confirmed whether this operation was coordinated with or independent of any ongoing dialogue process.
Valle del Cauca recorded some of the highest rates of conflict-related displacement in Colombia in 2025, according to data maintained by the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre. The department's proximity to Pacific port routes makes it strategically significant for drug trafficking operations, which fund multiple armed factions active in the area.
The killing of mid-level commanders, often called "decapitation" operations in security literature, has a mixed record in reducing organizational violence. Research published by the Conflict, Security and Development journal has found that such operations can fragment armed groups but may also trigger internal succession disputes that temporarily increase violence at the local level.
Colombian authorities have not released information on whether any other combatants were killed or detained during the Jamundí operation, or whether weapons or materiel were seized. The timeline of the operation and the specific unit involved were also not detailed in available reporting as of the date of publication.
The Jamundí operation comes as Colombia's government faces pressure from both domestic security critics and international observers to demonstrate measurable reductions in armed violence. The United Nations Verification Mission in Colombia, which monitors implementation of the 2016 peace accord, publishes periodic reports on the security situation in former FARC territories, though a report specifically covering this incident has not yet been issued.
What remains unknown is the operational impact on the "Jaime Martínez" faction's local activities. Future reporting from Colombian security forces and human rights monitoring organizations operating in Valle del Cauca would be required to assess whether the removal of Daza Guetio produces a sustained reduction in kidnappings and homicides in the Jamundí municipality or results in a leadership transition within the faction.