Colombia Probes Reported Death of Caribbean Armed Group Leader ‘Bendito Menor’
Nain Andres Perez Toncel, known by the aliases “Bendito Menor” or “Nain,” the leader of the illegal armed group known as the Conquering Self-Defense Forces of the Sierra Nevada (ACSN), is believed to have died during a Public Force operation in Riohacha, the capital of La Guajira, in the early hours of Friday, September 4. Authorities are working to verify the identities of the bodies and the exact circumstances in which the confrontation took place.
Preliminary information indicates that the operation took place inside a home in the Los Olivos neighborhood, near Almirante Padilla Airport. Perez Toncel’s romantic partner, Rosa Angelica Tarazona, known as “La Bebecita,” and two men believed to be members of his security detail, also reportedly died in the operation. The operation allegedly took place after intelligence work enabled authorities to locate the group leader in the capital of La Guajira.
The criminal group, which emerged from the remnants of paramilitary forces demobilized 20 years ago, has maintained operations for years in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta region and much of the eastern Caribbean.
Colombia probes reported death of Caribbean armed group leader ‘Bendito Menor’
“Bendito Menor” was identified by authorities as the main leader of the ACSN, an illegal armed organization formerly known as Los Pachenca, with a presence in different areas of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta and the Colombian Caribbean.
Perez Toncel, about 26 years old, was identified as one of those responsible for the group’s activities in areas of Magdalena, Cesar, and La Guajira. He was also identified as commander of the Javier Caceres Front, one of the structures under the influence of the ACSN. Authorities considered him a high-value target in the offensive against armed and criminal organizations operating in northern Colombia.
The pursuit of the group leader had intensified in recent months. Intelligence agencies had been tracking his movements and determined that he frequently traveled through different parts of the Caribbean region, even using maritime routes in an attempt to evade Public Force operations.
Colombian authorities are seeking to confirm his death, although the country’s president, Abelardo De la Espriella, posted a seemingly premonitory message on social media late Thursday. “Long live Colombia, long live Christ the King. All criminals and narco-terrorists who challenge the State will fall under the force of the weapons and laws of the Republic. Tomorrow, we will have big news,” he wrote, leading to expectations that confirmation of the news will come during the day today.
Que viva Colombia, que viva Cristo Rey. Todos los delincuentes y narcoterroristas que desafíen al Estado van a caer bajo la fuerza de las armas y las leyes de la República.
Mañana, grandes noticias tendremos.
¡Firme por la Patria!
(A.D.L.E) 🇨🇴 🐅
— Abelardo De La Espriella (@ABDELAESPRIELLA) September 4, 2026
An operation that reportedly ended in a confrontation
According to the first accounts to emerge, security forces arrived in the early hours at the property where Perez Toncel was staying. A confrontation reportedly took place there, ending with the deaths of the alleged group leader, his romantic partner, and two of his bodyguards.
Authorities are still working to fully establish the identities of those killed and reconstruct the operation. As verification efforts continue, national and regional media outlets have consistently reported the possible death of “Bendito Menor.”
President Abelardo De la Espriella is expected to travel to La Guajira with members of the security leadership to learn about the results of the operation. The president had announced that details would be released Friday about a major blow against an armed structure operating in the region.
The possible death of “Bendito Menor” comes after another account circulated Thursday claiming that the group leader had been killed by members of his own organization. That hypothesis emerged after intelligence agencies stopped detecting his usual communications for several days and received information from human sources about a possible internal execution.
The ACSN, however, publicly denied that account and said its General Staff had neither ordered nor carried out Perez Toncel’s killing. That contradiction led authorities to keep their investigation into his whereabouts open until information emerged about the operation in Riohacha.
If his death is ultimately confirmed, the operation would represent one of the most significant blows against the Conquering Self-Defense Forces of the Sierra Nevada in recent years and would leave open the dispute over control of the structures and territories that the group maintains in the Sierra Nevada and various areas of the Colombian Caribbean.
