Aguazul
Encyclopedia
Aguazul is a town and municipality in the Department
of Casanare
, Colombia
. Its economy is dependent on oil, mainly Cupiagua and Cusiana fields. Other important produces of its economy are livestock and rice. As of 2004, Leonel Torres has been mayor of the city.
In those times, Aguazul was known as Sevilla and was an important trade center and one of the few passage ways for livestock for the inner meat market.
The city was destroyed by the Colombian Air Force bombardments and was refounded in the same location but across the river.
The presence of the paramilitary group Autodefensas Campesinas de Casanare, whose base of operations was in the nearby municipalities of Villanueva
and Monterrey
, was a constant until 2004 when the group surrendered the zone to the Autodefensas Unidas de Colombia AUC, in a battle which is said to have cost more than 3.000 lives.
Departments of Colombia
Colombia is an unitary republic formed by thirty-two departments and a Capital District . Each department has a Governor and a Department Assembly , elected by popular vote for a four-year period. The governor cannot be re-elected in consecutive periods...
of Casanare
Casanare
* Casanare Department a subdivision of the country of Colombia* Los Llanos del Casanare a province of the Viceroyalty of New Granada* Casanare River a tributary of the Meta River in Colombia* Casanare, Colombia a city in Colombia on the Casanare River...
, Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
. Its economy is dependent on oil, mainly Cupiagua and Cusiana fields. Other important produces of its economy are livestock and rice. As of 2004, Leonel Torres has been mayor of the city.
"La Violencia"
During the time known as La Violencia, or "The Violence", Aguazul, as well as most of Casanare, was controlled by liberal guerrillas. The region was a political and military zone of influence, even being declared independent by the promulgation of the Vega Perdida Constitution.In those times, Aguazul was known as Sevilla and was an important trade center and one of the few passage ways for livestock for the inner meat market.
The city was destroyed by the Colombian Air Force bombardments and was refounded in the same location but across the river.
Armed conflict
Traditionally the zone was controlled by the leftist Ejército de Liberación Nacional. During the 1995-1998 time period, it was subject to intense combat and a scenario of continuing murder perpetrated by paramilitary groups, which succeeded in gaining control of the area.The presence of the paramilitary group Autodefensas Campesinas de Casanare, whose base of operations was in the nearby municipalities of Villanueva
Villanueva
-Colombia:*Villanueva, Bolívar, a town and municipality in Bolívar Department*Villanueva, Casanare, a town and municipality in Casanare Department*Villanueva, La Guajira, a town and municipality in La Guajira Department...
and Monterrey
Monterrey
Monterrey , is the capital city of the northeastern state of Nuevo León in the country of Mexico. The city is anchor to the third-largest metropolitan area in Mexico and is ranked as the ninth-largest city in the nation. Monterrey serves as a commercial center in the north of the country and is the...
, was a constant until 2004 when the group surrendered the zone to the Autodefensas Unidas de Colombia AUC, in a battle which is said to have cost more than 3.000 lives.