Ricardo Alfonso Guainas Guacheta, alias ‘Richard’, a 21-year-old FARC dissident, escaped from Neiva's temporary detention center with six others. Official sources suggest he is hiding in rural Íquira, bordering Cauca, with a knee injury. Five fugitives have been recaptured, and police guards are under investigation.
Alias ‘Richard’ in Íquira: escape details
The escape of Ricardo Alfonso Guainas Guacheta, alias ‘Richard’, took place around 4:00 a.m. at Neiva's Temporary Detention Center (CDT). Official sources state it was planned ahead since his transfer on November 28, 2025, after capture in San Miguel, La Plata. The dissident, linked to a motorcycle bomb attack in La Plata and the kidnapping of nine miners, is reportedly backed by the ‘Hernando González Acosta’ front, led by alias ‘Breiner’ or ‘El Viejo’.
To aid the breakout, a tree branch fell near the facility, security cameras failed, and a simulated heart attack distracted the guards. The escapees used a hammer, pots, and saws to break the bars. Alias ‘Richard’ injured his knee during the flight and is now moving by motorcycle between Río Chiquito and Río Negro, under alias ‘Yilber’s’ orders.
A gray truck picked him up near El Tizón bridge, guarded by four armed men on motorcycles. Of the seven fugitives, five have been recaptured: Jairo Andrés Gómez Perdomo and Dubán Esneyder Llanos Motta were caught, while Maicol Andrés Perdomo Esquivel, Jhon Sebastián Becerra Lizcano, and Juan Sebastián Torres Avella surrendered. The others face charges for theft, homicide, sexual abuses, and more.
“The dissident is injured in a knee, he hurt himself during the escape,” an official source indicated.
Colonel Héctor Jairo Betancourt Rojas, commander of the Neiva Metropolitan Police, confirmed the guards are under disciplinary and military penal investigation but continue working. “An internal verification process is initiated,” he said. Special training is needed for staff rotation at the CDT.