Diario Extra – Capture order against FARC leader

Bogota Colombia. AFP – The Supreme Court of Colombia on Tuesday ordered the capture of Congressman Jesús Santrich, former negotiator for the peace of the dissolved guerrillas of the FARC, whose fate has been unknown since June 30.

In a vehicle released to the press, the court issued the measure, which also includes a request to the international police (Interpol) to locate and arrest Santrich for the purposes of extradition.

The former rebel commander became a fugitive after failing to comply with a diligent court investigation on Tuesday in response to an alleged attempt to smuggle cocaine after signing peace in 2016.

The United States is seeking the same charges.

The magistrates explained that initially privileged the "fundamental right to freedom" of the former guerrilla, but that its "unjustified absence" was now to be captured to defend the charges of "aggravated conspiracy to commit, fabricate , traffic or narcotics. "

In April 2018, the legal name of Seuxis Paucias Hernández-Santrich had already been arrested for the purpose of extradition to the United States.

But in May of this year, the Supreme Court ordered his release and took the case of the congressman who still baderted that he was innocent and that the charges were in response to a conspiracy by the United States and the Colombian prosecutor's office aimed at torpedo the implementation of peace agreements.

– The FARC, disappointed –
Aged 52 and suffering from a severe visual impairment, the party leader walked out of the peace signing and gave up his security system on June 30. Since then, we still do not know where he is.

The defense lawyer, Gustavo Gallardo, said Tuesday that he did not know the reasons for his client's decision, but he did mention "security reasons" on which he did not not precised.

Santrich, who came to Congress as part of the pact that put an end to half a century of FARC armed struggle, must also turn to the Special Justice for Peace, which is investigating the worst crimes committed during the war. bloody and prolonged conflict.

If it does not respect this obligation, it also risks losing the legal benefits granted by the peace agreement, which led to the disarmament of some 7,000 ex-combatants.

The Santrich case has provided ammunition to critics of the peace negotiations, starting with the government of President Iván Duque, who denounces the impunity surrounding the commitments underwritten in Cuba under Juan's former government Manuel Santos (2010-2018).

For its part, the FARC party has been unreservedly critical of the actions of its founder, and hoped that Colombians "know how to differentiate between individual determinations" and "the overwhelming majority" respecting the commitments subscribed. .

Santrich "has very serious political responsibilities with all of us who trust him, he disappoints us and hurts us a lot," the movement said in a statement.

In addition to the legislator, the authorities do not know where three other former guerrilla commanders, who also did not appear in court and who are losing the benefits of the agreement, and who are are again targeted by the authorities. .

The pact with the old communist guerrilla states that perpetrators of serious crimes must confess their crimes and mend the victims, and incur alternative sentences to imprisonment. In case of non-compliance, they may receive sentences of up to 20 years.