Daniel Barrera Barrera

Daniel Barrera Barrera
Daniel "El Loco" Barrera before his extradition to the United States
Born	Daniel Barrera Barrera c. 1968 Bolívar, Santander, Colombia
Nationality	Colombian
Other names	El Loco ("The Crazy One")
Occupation	Drug trafficker
Conviction(s)	Drug trafficking and smuggling, illegal distribution of cocaine, arms trafficking, money laundering, assassination

Daniel Barrera Barrera, also known as El Loco, is a Colombian drug lord suspected of being the boss of the illegal drug trade in Colombia's eastern plains. He was arrested in Venezuela on September 18, 2012 after trafficking drugs for more than 20 years. The arrest of the drug lord, according to news reports in the New York Times, was the result of a complex four-nation endeavor. Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos named Barrera "the last of the great kingpins".

According to the Colombian National Police intelligence service DIJIN, Barrera bribed numerous Colombian policemen in order to maintain his drug emporium in Bogotá, which has grown after being a key link in the drug business first with members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) guerrilla group and later with members of the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC) paramilitary group and members Colombian Government Forces.

Besides being known as "El Loco" Barrera goes by the names of "Germán Barrera", "Arnoldo Barrera", "Vicente Rivera" or "El Gordo".

According to an article by Colombian magazine Revista Semana, Barrara initiated his illegal drug activities in San Jose del Guaviare in the 1980s under the support of his brother Omar Barrera. His brother was gunned down a few months after being in Guaviare for what he took revenge and respect among the other drug dealers in the region.

On February 7, 1990 Barrera was arrested on drug charges by Colombian authorities. After a few months, in October of that same year Barrera escaped from prison.

According to Colombian authorities, Barrera was a key associate of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) in drug retail and distribution. Barrera was an associate of alias "Negro Acacio" a renowned guerrilla commander involved in the illegal drug trade business for the FARC. Barrera was a buyer of illegal drugs to many of the Eastern Bloc of the FARC-EP' fronts which included the 14th, 17th, 10th and 16th fronts, as well as contacts with alias "John 40" guerrilla chief of the 42nd front.