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And though Castano once worked for the drug dealers as an enforcer, he says he's eager to see the end of Colombia's drug economy. "I know it's strange for me to say, but narcotics is a worse problem than the guerrillas. When guerrillas fought for social ideals, we all liked them, but when they got involved with the narcos, they lost their bearings, their popularity. They hit the middle class, the small farmers, and that's why we rose up."
Castano's revenge has been brutal. In 1990 the military and police raided a Castano family ranch and dug up 24 decomposed corpses, some showing signs of torture. Fear of AUC vengeance is one reason at least 1 million peasants fled their homes during the past decade. "This is an irregular war, and the enemy is a military target, whether in uniform or in civilian clothes," says Castano. "When this is over, let them judge me before an international tribunal--but I want the guerrilla leaders and the Colombian army there beside me in the dock." He insists that his forces never enter a village shooting at random. They are usually led by a defector or captive who singles out the collaborators. "Do innocent people get killed in this war? Yes, they do, but they're a minority," claims Castano.
Lately, Castano has been turning to high-profile kidnappings to get his point across. In October his men nabbed seven national lawmakers to underscore his opposition to a proposed prisoner exchange between the government and the FARC. The hostages were freed after the Interior Minister met with Castano, but the meeting had a damaging effect: last Tuesday the FARC used it as an excuse to break off peace talks.
In the Darien Gap, Castano is growing restless. He eyes his wristwatch. It's late afternoon, and he and his bodyguards are eager to resume their hunt for the retreating FARC back in the jungle. "We'll catch them by dawn," he says confidently. Given his popularity among Colombians, will Castano one day run for political office? Disgusted, he shakes his head. "With my past? With the things I've done? Never. It's a sign of how bad the situation is in Colombia that people would even think of me like that." He adds, "No, I'm just a temporary antidote." Given his methods, the question is whether the antidote is as bad as the poison.
--With reporting by Ruth Morris/Bogota