The Western Bloc of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia was the smallest of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia's (FARC) blocs in size, although not in military capability. It was often held responsible for attacks that occurred in Cali and the surrounding area. The specific divisions of the group are arguable. Some of its divisions or fronts, as they were commonly known as, are shown below. Many of these fronts worked together at times towards a certain mission, while others were further divided into columns and companies with a smaller number of members. For more general information, see FARC-EP Chain of Command.

Commanders Alias Name Note Marco Aurelio Buendía Luis Alfonso Guevara Álvarez Killed in 2003.Presidencia de la República. "ABATIDO ALIAS 'MARCO AURELIO BUENDÍA' CABECILLA DEL COMANDO OCCIDENTE DE LAS FARC" October 31, 2003. Available online. Accessed May 23, 2007. Pablo Catatumbo Jorge Torres Victoria Milenio. "Indagan a una nueva generación de narcos" October 17, 2006. Available online. Accessed May 23, 2007. Gustavo López Gómez, "Pacho Chino" Miller Munar Munar Stratfor. "FARC" Available online. Accessed May 17, 2007. Requires login.

6th Front The 6th Front was also known as the Hernando González Acosta Front. It was composed of 400 to 500 people as of 2011. It operated mostly in the Cauca and Valle del Cauca Departments.

Alias Name Note Sargento Pascuas, "Humberto" Miguel Ángel Pascuas One of the founders of the guerrilla in 1964, Front commander. Rubén Operational commander El Zorro Oscar Ivan Gugu One of the 'leaders' of FARC's 6th Front. Captured in January 2012.

On September 19, 2008, heavy fighting occurred between the Colombian Army and the FARC's sixth front during an attack on Toribío, Cauca Department. On April 27, 2013, 17 members of the front were captured while they attempted to steal a helicopter from the Colombian Armed Forces.

Mobile Column Alonso Cortés The Mobile Column Alonso Cortés, composed of up to 50 men, operated in the same area as the 6th Front. Alias Name Note El Mocho Ricardo Morales Second in charge of the Mobile Column Alonso Cortés. Arrested in February 2011 "El Paisa" or "William" Carlos Mario Cardona León Captured in April 2011.

8th Front The 8th Front was composed by up to 80 men and operated mostly in the Cauca Department and along the Pacific coast.

Alias Name Note Ramírez N/A Killed in 2006, apparently by ELN.FARC-EP. "Comunicado del Bloque Caribe de las FARC" February, 2007. Available online. Accessed June 10, 2007. Yesid Arlex Porras Gómez Captured in 2006.Policía Nacional de Colombia. "CAPTURADO EN CALI ARLEX PORRAS GÓMEZ, SEGUNDO CABECILLA Y JEFE MILITAR DEL OCTAVO FRENTE DE LA ORGANIZACIÓN ARMADA TERRORISTA" June 30, 2006. Available online. Accessed May 23, 2007. "El Rojo" Captured in 2003.Derechos Humanos de Colombia. "Bitácora de Prensa del 18 al 24 de febrero de 2003" February 23, 2003. Available online. Accessed May 23, 2007.

29th Front The 29th Front was composed of up to 250 men and operated mostly in the Nariño Department. It included the mobile column Daniel Aldana, which operated in the Tumaco area. In late April 2013, 13 alleged members of the column were captured.

Alias Name Note Aldemar, Jhon Jairo Canal RCN. "Enfrentamiento entre frentes 60 y 29 de las Farc originó asesinato de diputados." July 28, 2007. Available online. Accessed July 29, 2007. Anuar Orlando Cardozo Captured in 2005.Ejército Nacional Colombiano. "Captured second Farc 29th squad commander" August 31, 2005. Available online. Accessed May 26, 2007. Translation from Spanish. Camilo, Ricardo Jairo Cuarán Collazos Abandoned FARC in 2003 and found exile in Chile.Il Notiziario. "Chile otorgó residencia a jefe del Frente 29 de las Farc" November 29, 2004. Available online . Accessed May 26, 2007.

30th Front

Also known as the José Antonio Páez Front, the 30th Front was composed of up to 300 people. It operated mostly in the Cauca and Valle del Cauca Departments. The front led drug trafficking activities in the areas near the Yurumanguí River, and it was responsible for multiple attacks against civilians on Colombia's Pacific coast. In March 2011, 10 guerillas were killed by the army and 5 others were captured. On October 2, 2011, 3 guerillas were killed and 2 were captured. On February 11, the 30th front attacked an army base, killing 3 and injuring 18 members of the Colombian army.

Alias Name Note Mincho Jorge Neftali Umenza Velasco, or Herminsul de Jesús Velasco 1st commander. Killed in a bombardment in October 20, 2011 Jefferson Jaime Renteria Mosquera Commander of a special unit of the 30th Front. Demobilized in December 2011 with 9 others guerrillas of the 30th Front Freddy Luis Eduardo Prada González Fiscalía General de la Nación. "ASEGURADO LUIS ALFREDO PRADA GONZÁLEZ POR REBELIÓN" July 24, 2002. Available online . Accessed May 26, 2007. Mobile column Miller Perdomo forms a part of this front.

60th Front The 60th Front was composed of up to 60 men and operated mostly in the Cauca Department.

Alias Name Note "El Grillo" Gilberto Arroyabe La Patria. "Farc y Eln: guerra por la coca en el sur" Available online. Accessed May 26, 2007. "Arturo" N/A Killed in 2006.Ejército Nacional de Colombia. "Cae máximo cabecilla del frente Tulio Varón de las FARC" December 23, 2006. Available online. Accessed May 26, 2007.

Mobile Column Jacobo Arenas

The Mobile Column Jacobo Arenas was composed of up to 300 men and operated mostly in the Cauca Department. The column is suspected of an attack which killed six soldiers on February 9, 2009.

Alias Name Note Caliche, Floresmiro Acosta Carlos Patiño killed in 2013 elterrosimo.net "FARC-EP" June 6, 2006. Available online . Accessed May 26, 2007. 'Eladio' Killed in 2009 Kinkón Carlos Duval Ilipio Dizú Captured in 2006.Vicepresidencia de la República. "Bitácora del 19 al 25 de julio" July 25, 2006. Available online. Accessed May 26, 2007.

Mobile Column Arturo Ruiz

The Mobile Column Arturo Ruiz was one of the FARC's elite units, among its most notorious operations is the kidnapping of the Valle del Cauca deputies on April 11, 2002. Alias Name Note Arley Yurgen Villamizar Captured in 2010

Mobile Column Gabriel Galvis The Mobile Column Gabriel Galvis operated in Valle del Cauca. It had 110 fighters or more as of 2011.

Mobile Column Víctor Saavedra The Mobile Column Víctor Saavedra operates in Valle del Cauca and, especially, in the mountains east of Tuluá.

Urban Front Manuel Cepeda Vargas The Urban Front Manuel Cepeda Vargas was composed by up to 50 men and was one of the FARC's strongest factions in Cali.

Alias Name Note El Enano Chief of militias in Cali Narices Iván Cárdenas Carrillo El Tiempo. "'Narices', comandante del frente 'Manuel Cepeda', de las Farc, sería responsable de atentado en Cali " September 2, 2008. Available online. Accessed September 2, 2008. Killed in 2010 Santiago Gustavo Arbeláez Cardona Arrested in 2008.El Tiempo. "Detienen a alias 'Santiago', presunto jefe del frente 'Manuel Cepeda' de las Farc en Buenaventura" May 8, 2008. Available online. Accessed May 8, 2008. J.J. Milton Sierra Gómez Killed in 2007.El País. "Dado de baja 'J.J.', líder del frente Manuel Cepeda Vargas de las Farc." June 15, 2007. Available online. Accessed June 23, 2007. Farid, Rafael Gabriel Antonio Carvajal Captured in 2005.Ejército Nacional de Colombia. "Contundentes resultados del Ejército contra grupos terroristas" April 13, 2005. Available online. Accessed May 26, 2007. "Miller Chacón" or "El Médico" KIA in May 2011.

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