Former paramilitary leader to testify against brother of Colombia’s ex-president
May 7, 2015
Former paramilitary leader to testify against brother of Colombia’s ex-president
posted by Talor Gruenwald
The former supreme leader of paramilitary organization AUC has agreed to testify against the brother of former President Alvaro Uribe, who previously saw his cousin be convicted of ties to the same organization.
A prosecutor delegated by the Supreme Court will travel to the United States on Friday to obtain the testimony of Salvatore Mancuso, a former leader of the paramilitary organization AUC, for use in an investigation against former President Alvaro Uribe’s brother, Santiago Uribe.
The accusation
The former president’s brother is currently under investigation for his involvement in a paramilitary death squad known as “The 12 Apostles,” a group that operated between 1993 and 1994 in the area of Yarumal in northern Antioquia. One of the Uribe family ranches, “Finca Carolina,” is also located in this area.
Uribe was also allegedly involved in the murder of Camilo Barrientos Duran on February 25, 1994, at the Finca Carolina property.
The witnesses
The retired Major of the police in the area, Juan Carlos Meneses, accused Uribe of having founded the 12 Apostles.
More:
http://colombiareports.co/former-paramilitary-leader-to-testify-against-brother-of-colombias-ex-president/
(Santiago Uribe is on the left, Salvatore Mancuso, the right.)
Anyone taking bets on whether Salvatore Mancuso lives long enough to complete his testimony? He knows the risk, having seen "justice" under Uribe long enough. It's not uncommon for witnesses to be murdered in Colombia.
