Suspect arrested in Peru gold mine massacre

International operation captures fugitive linked to deadly violence in Peru's gold-rich Pataz region.

The main suspect in the kidnapping and murder of 13 gold miners in Peru has been arrested in Colombia, according to the Peru’s Ministry of the Interior.

Miguel Antonio Rodríguez Díaz, also known by the alias “Cuchillo” (Knife), was detained in the Colombian city of Medellín on Thursday.

“Miguel Rodríguez Díaz, alias ‘Cuchillo,’ was captured following intelligence work and close coordination between the Peruvian Police, Colombian Police, and Interpol,” the Ministry said in a post on X.

Thirteen security guards were kidnapped earlier this month from one of Peru’s largest gold mines, amid growing violence fueled by a gold rush in the northern Pataz district, where illegal miners are allied with armed criminal groups.

Rodríguez Díaz is accused of “organized crime, aggravated kidnapping, and aggravated homicide” and is due to be extradited back to Peru.

Colombian police chief Carlos Triana stated on X that the arrest was supported by the United States’ Homeland Security Investigations agency, which targets transnational criminal networks.

As reported by Al Jazeera, the suspect’s lawyer, Kevin Díaz, told local radio station RPP that his client had been in Venezuela for “a few days” before returning to Colombia, where he was arrested.

https://youtube.com/shorts/MgmNSmMfDdM?si=ktnLExkbUtQEqjqW

Military post

The wave of violence in Pataz prompted the Peruvian government to establish a military post in the area.

Mining company La Poderosa, which owns the mine where the murders took place, claimed that nearly 40 people — including contractors and miners — have recently been killed in the district by criminal gangs.

The 13 guards were abducted on April 26 and held in a mine shaft, where they were threatened for days. According to local news site Diario Correo, a video circulating on social media — allegedly filmed by the captors — shows the guards being executed at point-blank range.

Previously, in December 2023, illegal miners launched a coordinated attack on the La Poderosa mine using explosives, killing nine and injuring 15 others. A similar attack occurred in April 2023.

Illegal gold mining has surged in Peru in recent years, driven by high gold prices. The illicit activity was worth over $6 billion in 2024, according to the Peruvian Institute of Economics. The violence tied to it is part of a broader regional crisis, with Peru, Ecuador, and Colombia all declaring or extending states of emergency in response to criminal activity linked to mining, narcotics, and extortion.