Colombian authorities, in coordination with their Peruvian counterparts and Interpol, have arrested a man suspected of orchestrating the brutal killing of 13 miners in Peru’s Pataz district earlier this month.
Miguel Antonio Rodríguez Díaz, known by the alias “Cuchillo” — Spanish for “knife” — was apprehended in the Colombian city of Medellín during a joint operation that also involved the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency. The dramatic arrest unfolded in a bustling downtown area, as shown in footage released by officials, where heavily armed officers detained Díaz without incident.
According to Peru’s Interior Ministry, Díaz is accused of masterminding an armed assault on a gold mine in northern Peru, where the victims, who had been tasked with retaking control of the site from an invading group, were ambushed, abducted, and later executed. Their bodies were discovered on May 4 inside a tunnel at the contested mine.
Prosecutors allege that Díaz ordered his men to storm the mine’s entrance, intending to seize control and loot gold extracted by local miners. He now faces multiple charges, including organized crime, aggravated kidnapping, and aggravated homicide. However, Díaz’s legal counsel has firmly denied any involvement in the massacre.
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Peru, a leading gold producer in Latin America, has witnessed an alarming uptick in violence linked to illegal mining operations and criminal syndicates seeking to exploit the lucrative sector. The Pataz killings underscore the intensifying turf wars gripping the industry, where heavily armed groups are increasingly employing brutal tactics to assert dominance over mining territories.
Colombia’s police chief, General Carlos Triana, confirmed that Díaz was apprehended under an Interpol red notice, describing the arrest as a significant blow against transnational organized crime networks operating across the region.
Peru’s Interior Ministry said arrangements are underway to extradite Miguel Antonio Rodríguez Díaz in the coming days. La Poderosa, owners of the mine where the killings occurred, stated that criminal groups have now claimed the lives of 39 individuals connected to its operations in Pataz.
Following the recent attack, President Dina Boluarte imposed a night-time curfew in the district and ordered a month-long suspension of mining activities. Additional police and military personnel have also been deployed to the area to reinforce security.