Colombia's opposition filing criminal charges against 9 generals and Duque ally over illegal spying

[Judi Lynn]

by Adriaan Alsema May 15, 2020

Colombia’s opposition announced criminal charges against nine army generals and an ideologue of President Ivan Duque‘s far-right political party, which again found itself accused of having ties to the mafia.

During a debate, Opposition Senator Ivan Cepeda claimed that former National Army commander Nicacio Martinez frustrated a counterintelligence operation that sought to identify mafia associates within the military. Instead, these resources were used to spy on civilians investigating this.

Defense Minister Carlos Holmes Trujillo said last week that 13 military officials would be prosecuted for the alleged spying on journalists, opposition politicians and NGOs as a result of counterintelligence “Operation Stick.”

. . .

The defense minister, a close ally of Duque’s political patron, former President Alvaro Uribe, reportedly tried to block a Supreme Court investigation that brought the intelligence operation to light and is now allegedly trying to conceal the alleged ties between the ruling party, the criminal organization within the military and the mafia.

. . .

Uribe is additionally investigated by the Supreme Court for allegedly trying to manipulate witnesses who have testified that he and his brother Santiago, who are also former cartel associates, founded paramilitary groups in the 1990s.

More:
https://colombiareports.com/colombias-opposition-filing-criminal-charges-against-9-generals-and-duque-ally-over-illegal-spying/