Colombian shot dead in Bolivia in alleged dispute over Marset's organization
Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.
TLDR
- A Colombian citizen was shot and killed in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, in what police suspect is a power struggle within Sebastián Marset's criminal organization.
- The victim was reportedly shot by two individuals on a motorcycle as he left a nightclub.
- Police are investigating the victim's potential links to national or international organized crime groups and note that other recent crimes in Santa Cruz may also be related to Marset's fractured organization.
Tragedy has struck Santa Cruz, Bolivia, with the brazen daylight murder of a Colombian national. Police reports indicate this was no random act of violence but a targeted assassination, likely stemming from a brutal power struggle within the fractured criminal empire once controlled by Uruguayan drug lord Sebastián Marset. The victim was reportedly gunned down by assailants on a motorcycle as he exited a nightclub, a stark reminder of the volatile underworld operating in our region.
Our authorities are diligently investigating the victim's alleged connections to organized crime, both domestically and internationally. This incident is not isolated; it follows a series of recent violent events in Santa Cruz that investigators believe may be linked to the ongoing fragmentation and infighting within Marset's organization since his capture and subsequent extradition to the United States in March. The instability left in the wake of Marset's downfall appears to be fueling a dangerous turf war.
Since Marset's apprehension, Bolivian police have made significant arrests, detaining over thirty individuals suspected of involvement in these internal disputes. The detainees hail from various nationalities, including Bolivians, Brazilians, Colombians, and Venezuelans, highlighting the transnational nature of these criminal networks. This murder underscores the persistent challenges Bolivia faces in combating organized crime and maintaining security, especially in the wake of major figures like Marset being removed from the scene, only to leave a vacuum filled with further violence.
La hipótesis que manejamos es que es un ajuste de cuentas ya que la organización de Marset se ha ido fraccionando en varios (grupos). Entonces, la pugna es de poder.
Originally published by ABC Color in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.