Colombian politician accused of public corruption may be hiding in Fort Lauderdale

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Local 10 TV Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.

Colombian politician accused of public corruption may be hiding in Fort Lauderdale

Andres Felipe Arias is requesting asylum in the U.S. to avoid prison time, after he was found guilty of public corruption in Colombia

Author: Andrea Torres, Local10.com Reporter, [e-mail]

Published On: Jul 11 2014 04:27:17 PM EDT Updated On: Jul 11 2014 04:42:12 PM EDT

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -
A politician accused of corruption in Colombia may be hiding in Fort Lauderdale, the Colombian magazine Semana reported Friday.

The former minister of agriculture and rural development Andres Felipe Arias, 41, was under investigation for public corruption before he and his family left Bogota.

On July 3, he was found guilty of mismanaging funds in a program that was meant to provide subsidies for struggling farmers, but instead ended up in the hands of wealthy landowners. He did not appear in court July 18.

Arias contends that he is innocent and the charges are a merciless political attack. El Espectador newspaper reported he could face 18 to 33 years in prison.

Read more: http://www.local10.com/news/colombian-politician-accused-of-public-corruption-may-be-hiding-in-fort-lauderdale/26904372

[Judi Lynn]

1. Convicted of corruption, Ex-Minister Arias seeks asylum in the US: media reports

Convicted of corruption, Ex-Minister Arias seeks asylum in the US: media reports
Jul 11, 2014 posted by Daniel Medendorp Escobar



Ex-Minister of Agriculture Andres Felipe Arias is currently in the United States seeking political asylum, according to Colombian media reports released Friday morning.

The news comes just over a week after Arias was found guilty of embezzling over $25 million through an agricultural subsidy program called Agro Ingreso Seguro (AIS).

Arias was nowhere to be found at the time of his sentencing, leading to suspicions that he escaped the country to avoid imprisonment, as had former intelligence director Maria del Pilar Hurtado, who also served under ex-President Alvaro Uribe. Reports emerged that Arias’s sentence may have been leaked two weeks prior to the announcement, giving the former minister time to leave the country.

Prosecutors successfully demonstrated that Arias had funneled state subsidies intended for poor farmers into the accounts of wealthy and politically powerful families, a beauty queen, and even former paramilitaries.

Arias was “on vacation” in the United States at the time of his sentencing, having been there since June 13 — the same day Colombian media were informed of a potential guilty ruling against him. Bogota-based Blu Radio reports that Arias’ protection squadron has not heard from him since July 13.

More:
http://colombiareports.co/ex-minister-andres-felipe-arias-united-states-media-reports/

[center]

Arias and his boss, former President Alvaro Uribe,
comically dressed in the garb of "men of the soil,"
from whom so much money and land was stolen.

[cntrygrl]

6. He came to the right place. Florida is

the perfect place - it's filled with corrupt politicians.

[delrem]

2. When the most abominable rats scurry from the ship,

it's interesting to see what land they consider safe haven. They are rats, after all.

Meanwhile, the US is very concerned about kids fleeing the abominations happening in e.g. Honduras that the US supported. The US President is making statements.

Too bad no such statements were made after the coup overthrowing democracy in Honduras.
Too bad the present flatly contradicts the past.
That's a problem with "looking forward, never back".

This is a systematic failing.

[SamKnause]

4. K&R for truth telling x 100000000000000000000000000000

[SamKnause]

3. He doesn't have to hide

if he is in the U.S.

The U.S. will welcome him with open arms.

The U.S. government, Wall Street, and U.S. corporations couldn't function without criminals.

Thanks Judi.

Keep up the excellent work that you do.

You are truly appreciated on this site !!!!!!!!

[delrem]

5. There are plenty of "bipartisans" on DU

who present Columbia and Honduras as exemplars of their political philosophy.

It's hard to pin them down on supporting any actual murders, though.
They are all too cool for that.

[Judi Lynn]

9. Their fascist overlords, or even underlords, have taught them to skim just below the radar.

It is always an experience watching them work as the side-stepping artists they are. You'd think they'd throw something out of joint ducking the truth constantly. The truth is everywhere. You'd think it would come to them at some point!

It was amazing seeing them hard at work supporting the Honduran coup against President Zelaya, who dared to help the poor with education and medical treatment for them, and plans to remove the US military from the Soto Cano air force base. All those pesky plans of his got destroyed the second the military, on orders from the fascists in government shot up the President's house and kidnapped him, dumping him out in his pajamas in Nicaragua. According to US fascists, even as the US ambassador described the coup as a military coup, Zelaya had to be removed from office, along with Haiti's Aristide, and who missed their chronic gibbering regarding Hugo Chavez which continues even to today?

"Bipartisans!" That's so benevolent! Good one.

[Judi Lynn]

8. He's as welcome as rain here, as long as he doesn't tip too many people off to his history!

They were as happy as clams with him when he was swiping money from the poor in Colombia, and his treacherous President, too.

It would be a real adventure finding out how many former dictators, former torturers, murderers, assassins, and other villains from the Americas are infesting this country even as we post! They seem to love the Miami area, probably to be close to their fellow fascists.

This operation definitely couldn't make it without criminals. Humane people are losers. Decent people make them sick!

Thank you, SamKnause,

[PeoViejo]

7. The Banksters welcome Arias

I'm sure his ill-gotten gains are safely tucked away in a local bank that specializes in politically-connected clients from Latin America.

[Judi Lynn]

10. Miami banks have been BIG with them, and narcotraffickers, for a long time.

[center]
Bienvenido! [/center]