THE GARZON FAULT - ACTIVE SOUTHWESTERN BOUNDARY OF THE CARIBBEAN PLATE IN COLOMBIA

We propose active right-lateral strike-slip motion on the Garzon fault zone of the Neiva basin, Colombia, based on the identification of two active right-stepping releasing bend basins along the fault using ste reoscopic analysis of 1/250000 SPOT images. The Garzon fault connects the Bocono-Pamplona-Guaicaramo fault zones of Venezuela and Colombia w ith the Romeral, Dolores and Guayaquil faults of Colombia. Together th ese faults form a continuous, active right-lateral fault between accre ted terranes in northwestern South America and a more stable South Ame rica plate. We infer 5-km right-lateral offset of the Garzon fault bas ed on the width of the Algeciras releasing bend basin.