The defense of former paramilitary chief Salvatore Mancuso in the US moves to avoid deportation to Colombia

The defense of former paramilitary leader Salvatore Mancuso He asked the US justice for precautionary measures on Tuesday to try to stop his extradition to Colombia.

Mancuso -one of the top leaders of the demobilized group United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC) – served a sentence for drug trafficking in the United States and was awaiting deportation to Italy, when the US government changed its mind and announced his transfer to Colombia.

His defense requested on Monday an immediate hearing and a “suspension of any immigration action” and this Tuesday he asked for “precautionary measures” to stop the process.

Mancuso has acknowledged his participation in at least 300 murders and, as commander of the self-defense groups, is responsible for the displacement of hundreds of thousands of Colombian peasants from their lands.

After serving his sentence, he had no criminal debts in the United States and was detained in an immigration prison awaiting transfer to Italy, since he has dual nationality and told his lawyers that he is “terrified” of returning to Colombia.

Mancuso is requested by Bogotá and organizations that defend human rights demand his return to the country to clarify the multiple and heinous crimes of the paramilitaries.

The lawyers also asked for an order compelling the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to fulfill his duty to transfer Mancuso to Italy without delay or to have him released and to have him organize his own trip.

His defense also asked to compensate him with the costs of the lawyers and with any other compensation that the court deems appropriate.

After serving his criminal sentence for drug trafficking, a charge for which he was taken to the United States, his lawyers entered into immigration litigation to get him deported to Italy.

In a hearing on August 24, US government lawyers had set a September 4 deadline for their deportation to Italy, before changing their minds.

According to the notification his lawyers received this weekend, at the last minute the authorities informed him that his transfer to Italy at this time is “harmful to the United States”.

Before being extradited to the United States, Mancuso collaborated with the judges, for which human rights organizations and victims demand his return to Colombia to clarify the crimes of the paramilitaries.

A key theme of his testimony is the links of paramilitary groups with politicians and businessmen.

With information from AFP

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