In 1997, she was granted a rare interview with Carlos Castaño, leader of one of Colombia's right-wing paramilitary groups, the Peasant Self-Defense Forces of Córdoba and Urabá. To meet Castaño, Caballero was forced to ride on horseback for eight hours through mountainous terrain, injuring her back severely enough that she later required surgery for a compressed nerve.[3] In the interview, Castaño revealed for the first time that he was ready for peace talks.[4]