William Acosta, CEO of Equalizer Investigations for FinGurú
Introduction
In the unstable border separating Colombia and Venezuela, news about the deaths of guerrilla commanders seem as common as the morning mist over the Amazon rivers. The recent report about the supposed death of José Manuel Sierra Sabogal, alias “Zarco Aldinever,” which occurred on August 5, 2025, near Maroa, Venezuela, and the Colombian border of Guainía, is, as noted by InSight Crime in August 2025, yet another in the long list of “walking dead” (InSight Crime, 2025). This raises an inevitable question: who benefits from his disappearance and how many times have leaders of these structures “resurrected” when it suits them?
The Death of “El Zarco” and Its Political Resonances
The supposed death of Zarco Aldinever was presented as a lethal blow to the Segunda Marquetalia —as reported by Ground News in August 2025—. This group, heir to dissidents of the FARC, has operated for years in the border jungle. According to Voz US reports in July 2025, Sierra Sabogal was linked as the intellectual architect of the attack that ended the life of senator and presidential candidate Miguel Uribe Turbay. However, as Finance Colombia (2025) recalls, there is no independent confirmation that he has actually died, and the background raises doubts.
When Death is Relative: Examples of Guerrilla “Resurrections”
In the last two decades, there have been numerous instances where guerrilla commanders have been reported dead only to reappear alive:
• In September 2018, Semana reported that alias “John 40” had died in Vichada. Weeks later, he reappeared in videos disseminated by Noticias Caracol, operating between Venezuela and Brazil.
• According to Wikipedia (2021) and reports from Colombian press, “El Paisa” (Hernán Darío Velásquez Saldarriaga) was declared dead in Apure, Venezuela, in December 2021, without his body being shown publicly; shortly thereafter, reports emerged that he was still moving within Venezuelan territory.
• As documented by Venezuelanalysis in May 2021, Jesús Santrich (Seuxis Pausias Hernández Solarte) was reported dead in Zulia, Venezuela; however, weeks of silence and contradictory versions revived suspicions about his fate.
• In January 2023, several regional media outlets reported the death of “Arturo,” an armed leader in Apure. Months later, videos of him appeared circulating on social media, which ridiculed the official reports.
These examples, as indicated by DTIC (2020) in its research on the behavior of the dissidents, confirm that in contexts of guerrilla warfare and organized crime, deaths can transform into strategic tools to reorganize power or escape military pressure.
Who Benefits from the Silence of the Alleged Fallen?
The case of Zarco Aldinever is illustrative. For the ELN, as emphasized by InSight Crime (2025), the elimination of a rival commander allows them to advance over key drug trafficking routes. For former allies and shadow connections —including possible corrupt officials—, his disappearance prevents him from revealing compromising secrets under arrest. And for the official discourse, as suggested by Ground News (2025), it represents swift justice that avoids prolonged trials and potential scandals.
Consequences and Lessons from "Convenient Deaths"
The lack of verifiable evidence and the history of “resurrected” individuals in the irregular border world —as recalled by Venezuelanalysis (2021)— erodes public trust and perpetuates violence. In practice, these “deaths” allow for the restructuring of alliances, eliminating risks, and, in many cases, providing a tactical “rest” for key figures who later reappear under another identity or in another territory.
Conclusion
In the scenario of the Colombian-Venezuelan border, death is not always the end. As recent history shows, and as documented by media like InSight Crime and Voz US, supposed deaths can merely be another act in a script where lies, impunity, and convenience dictate the argument. Therefore, concerning news like that of Zarco Aldinever, the question should not only be “who killed him?” but also “how long will he be dead?”.
References
• DTIC. (2020). How Has the 2016 Colombian Peace Process Impacted the FARC in… Available at: https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/pdfs/AD1127119.pdf
• Finance Colombia. (2025, August 11). Colombian Senator & Presidential Candidate Miguel Uribe Turbay Dies 2 Months After Shooting. Available at: https://www.financecolombia.com/colombian-senator-presidential-candidate-miguel-uribe-turbay-dies-2-months-after-shooting/
• Ground News. (2025, August 11). Colombia Reports the Death of Alias “Zarco Aldinever,” a Suspected Member of FARC Dissident Group. Available at: https://ground.news/article/colombia-death-number-2-of-suspected-group-killing-uribe
• InSight Crime. (2025, August 6). José Manuel Sierra Sabogal, alias “Zarco Aldinever,” one of the commanders of the Second Marquetalia, was reportedly killed in an ELN attack. Available at: https://x.com/InSightCrime/status/1953260363459252400
• Venezuelanalysis. (2021, May 20). FARC Leader Jesús Santrich Reportedly Killed Inside Venezuela. Available at: https://venezuelanalysis.com/news/15210
• Voz US. (2025, July 16). Colombia: Attempted assassination of Miguel Uribe allegedly linked to guerrilla group. Available at: https://voz.us/en/world/250716/26945/colombia-local-media-link-attempted-assassination-of-miguel-uribe-to-guerrilla-group.html
• Wikipedia. (2021, January 6). Hernán Darío Velásquez. Available at: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hern%C3%A1n_Dar%C3%ADo_Vel%C3%A1squez
• Wikipedia. (2019, August 30). Jesús Santrich. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jes%C3%BAs_Santrich
About the Author:
William L. Acosta graduated from PWU and Alliance University. He is a retired police officer from the New York Police Department, as well as the founder and CEO of Equalizer Private Investigations & Security Services Inc., a licensed agency in New York and Florida with international reach. Since 1999, he has led investigations in narcotics cases, homicides, and missing persons, in addition to participating in criminal defense at both state and federal levels. A specialist in international and multijurisdictional cases, he has coordinated operations in North America, Europe, and Latin America.
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