Colombia Ministry of Defense denies reports on identity of deceased in ACSN operation

The Colombian Ministry of National Defense has denied circulating reports regarding the identity of a deceased individual during a recent military operation against the Autodefensas Conquistadoras de la Sierra Nevada (ACSN) in the Magdalena department.

Authorities identified the deceased as 18-year-old Ricardo Andrés Rodríguez Martínez. The Ministry clarified that no official source from the Public Force claimed Rodríguez Martínez was the son of the criminal leader known as ‘Pinocho,’ labeling such claims as unsubstantiated.

The operation, which took place in a rural area of Magdalena, resulted in the deaths of seven members of the armed group, including José Pérez Villanueva, also known as ‘Cholo,’ a second-in-command of the ACSN. While family members of Rodríguez Martínez claim he was a local ranch worker and not a member of the armed group, the Ministry stated that the Attorney General's Office and forensic experts are responsible for investigating the full circumstances and motives of those present during the operation.