In 1984, on this day US President Ronald Reagan was forced to sanction the covert supply of funds and military hardware to Pablo Escobar's Medellín Freedom Fighters in order to resist the Brazilian invasion of Columbia.

Escobar's Medellin Freedom Fighters
By Ed & Eric OppenThe conflict in the northwest of South America had begun with the overthrow of the regime of President Joâo Figueiredo. His gradual process of democratization was near completion, with open elections due in 1985. However a severe economic crisis had made him deeply unpopular, and rogue elements in the military used this pretext to pull off a coup d'etat.

The new government had chosen to confront the paramilitary forces of the Medellín and Cali cartels which were operating with impunity across the Brazil-Columbia border. Soon entangled in a complex military engagement, the Brazilian Army had struck deep into Columbia territory. This violation of sovereignty had provoked the patriotism of Columbians who had rallied to join the newly formed freedom fighter brigades of the cartels.

Before long, Reagan's Delta Commandoes were fighting alongside the resistance fighters, ironically following a plan that had been prepared to extract the drug cartels prior to the Brazilian coup d'etat.