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The Colombian ambassador to the United States, Francisco Santos Calderón, announced Monday that he is evaluating legal action against former paramilitary Salvatore Mancuso Gómez.
Indeed, while he moves diplomatic and political strings so that Mancuso –like ‘Jorge 40’ and alias el Mellizo– are sent to Colombia to answer for the crimes they have pending, the diplomat had to go out to reject a letter from the former ‘para’ in which he insists on pointing out him as a collaborator of paramilitarism.
(You may be interested: Francisco Santos rejects Mancuso’s accusations against him)
After agreeing to appear before the Truth Commission – upon a call from Álvaro Leyva – Mancuso assured that he was extradited to silence him.
“Colombia already knows what happened to me: as criminal revenge and to keep quiet I was extradited, because I related as collaborators, officials close to the government of President Álvaro Uribe, such as Francisco Santos, today Colombian ambassador to the United States; José Miguel Narváez, deputy director of the DAS, who was responsible for the death of Jaime Garzón; Pedro Juan Moreno, a personal friend and Secretary of the Government of the Antioquia Government, were very close to the AUC. I also narrated about some situations that occurred with President Uribe himself and despite all this, added to other situations perpetrated against us, we will continue to honor our commitment to the victims and the truth, ”Mancuso wrote.
(We invite you to read: Mancuso agrees to go to the Truth Commission and delivers names)
Santos’ response
Almost immediately, Santos issued a statement in which he assures: “The assertions that Salvatore Mancuso makes in which he mentions me are the same that he made 13 years ago, without any proof other than his word, and that he has never been able to demonstrate in any instance”.
And he adds that during the Uribe government they made the institutional decision to extradite him (the paramilitary leaders) for failure to comply with their obligations with the process in which they participated.
“Today I have worked for him to return to Colombia to continue responding for his actions. Once the process is finished, it will be possible to know the forceful actions that we carry out in this regard ”, the ambassador pointed out.
(This may interest you: the US said that what Mancuso knows put him in danger; And what about Jorge 40?)
And EL TIEMPO established that, since August 25, it has been asking the office of Deputy Prosecutor Martha Janeth Mancera to certify the status of the investigation against him for the statements that Mancuso gave since May 2007 and that, according to Santos, After 13 years, no merit has ever been found for any kind of accusation.
Alvaro Leyva assured that the letter was sent to him by Salvatore Mancuso from the Irwin jail, Atlanta, in response to a communication he sent on August 19.
Carlos Ortega / TIME
In fact, his lawyer, Francisco Bernate, told EL TIEMPO that the last action they are aware of dates from 2015. That year the filing of the action was requested by prescription.
But the then deputy prosecutor Jorge Perdomo did not agree, stating that it is imprescriptible because the conduct investigated is related to the crimes against humanity of the paramilitaries.
(We invite you to consult: What awaits alias ‘Jorge 40’ when arriving in Colombia)
“I request that you inform me of the investigations that are being held against me in the Office of the Attorney General of the Nation, both active and inactive (…) I understand that there is already a statement from the Office of the Prosecutor for the facts that I was investigated”, Santos wrote to Deputy Prosecutor Mancera.
Today I have worked for him to return to Colombia to continue responding for his actions. Once the process is finished, you will be able to know the forceful actions that we carry out in that sense
Truth Commission?
And he explained that the request was due to the fact that he learned of a complaint against him from a former Army lieutenant about an alleged meeting with the then paramilitary chief Salvatore Mancuso, on November 20, 2000.
The diplomat complains that he found out through the media (the La Nueva Prensa portal) without being able to exercise his defense. In fact, he obtained official certifications that he was out of the country by then.
Regarding Leyva’s request for Mancuso to tell his version before the Truth Commission (CV), experts pointed out that this is not a judicial instance.
In fact, Eduardo Pizarro recently pointed out that the CV is not empowered to publish names (because it is an extrajudicial body), which would violate due process and the presumption of innocence: “The judicial truth is called upon to determine individual responsibilities and impose the sanctions contemplated ”.
(We invite you to consult: Mancuso was summoned to 263 audiences to tell the truth, what is missing?)
Excerpts from Salvatore Mancuso’s letter on his alleged commitment to the truth.
The debts of ‘Jorge 40′ and alias’ El Mellizo
In the accounts of the defense of Salvatore Mancuso, the former paramilitary chief would only have one pending case for money laundering in Colombia and others that may appear after his demobilization.
But the situation of Rodrigo Rovar Pupo, alias Jorge 40; and Miguel Ángel Mejía, ‘el Mellizo’ is different. They were expelled from Justice and Peace. ‘Jorge 40’ has 35 arrest warrants, 38 security measures and 1,456 investigations. He was sentenced (to 26 years) for the murder of Alfredo Correa de Andréis.
Rodrigo Tovar Pupo, alias Jorge 40, has already sent the message that he is willing to return to Colombia, under security guarantees.
National Police. TIME Archive
And ‘el Mellizo’ has three active processes, for procedural fraud, forced disappearance and homicide. In addition, it has to answer for around 336 cases of forced disappearance and displacement, gender-based violence, homicide and recruitment, with about 1,500 victims and bribery.
(See here all the articles of the Investigative Unit of EL TIEMPO)
INVESTIGATIVE UNIT
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