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Waldemar Franklin Quintero

1941 – 1989

Commander of the Colombian National Police in Antioquia Province

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About Waldemar Franklin Quintero

Lived 1941 – 1989 (aged 48). Waldemar Franklin Quintero was a Colombian military personnel and police officer.

Valdemar Franklin Quintero (January 26, 1941 – August 18, 1989 ) was a Clombian army colonel of the Colombian National Police in Antioquia Province. Franklin had led several major raids which resulted in the seizure of multiple tons of cocaine. He was murdered by the Medellín cartel in Medellín because of these drug seizures and his refusal to talk with the cartel. He successfully thwarted an attempt to kill Luis Carlos Galán, a Colombian journalist and presidential candidate, when an RPG was launched at Galán. The cartel formally took responsibility for the slaying of the police commander by calling a series of local radio stations. The caller, who identified himself as a person from "The Extraditables", said "We, the Extraditables, claim responsibility for the murder of Col. Valdemar Franklin in response to the repression committed and the government's refusal to have a dialogue with us".

Death On 18 August 1989 (the same day in which the Colombian politician Luis Carlos Galán was murdered), at the age of 48, Franklin left his residence in a chauffeur-driven car. When the vehicle was 450 feet from the compound, its route was blocked by another car and several gunmen emerged, according to officials. Various witnesses said that Franklin's car was destroyed by gunfire and the interior was covered in blood. One eye-witness stated to a local radio station, "They fired without mercy for several minutes at the colonel, who was hit more than a 150 times". That witness also said that the chauffeur was injured in the ambush.

He is portrayed by the actor Mauricio Figueroa as the character Osvaldo Quintana in the Colombian television series Escobar, el patrón del mal.

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Important facts

Birth century
Nationality
Education
La Gran Colombia University
Also known as
Valdemar Franklin Quintero

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Waldemar Franklin Quintero's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Waldemar Franklin Quintero?

commander of the Colombian National Police in Antioquia Province

When was Waldemar Franklin Quintero born?

Waldemar Franklin Quintero was born on 26 January 1941 in Bucaramanga.

When did Waldemar Franklin Quintero die?

Waldemar Franklin Quintero died on 1 August 1989 in Medellín.

What was Waldemar Franklin Quintero's occupation?

Waldemar Franklin Quintero was a military personnel and police officer.

What nationality was Waldemar Franklin Quintero?

Waldemar Franklin Quintero was Colombian.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Waldemar Franklin Quintero

· Wikidata: Q597439

· DBpedia: Waldemar Franklin Quintero

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Waldemar Franklin Quintero. https://biography.guide/waldemar-franklin-quintero/

MLA: "Waldemar Franklin Quintero." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/waldemar-franklin-quintero/.

Chicago: "Waldemar Franklin Quintero." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/waldemar-franklin-quintero/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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