Former ideological chief of paramilitary AUC released after finishing reduced sentence
Former ideological chief of paramilitary AUC released after finishing reduced sentence
Posted by Adriaan Alsema on Aug 18, 2015
One of the leaders of the now-defunct AUC is allowed to leave prison after a judge ruled that paramilitary chief “Ernesto Baez” complied with his end of a deal that granted him a maximum penalty of eight years in exchange for victim reparation and the confession of crimes.
Baez, whose real name is Ivan Roberto Duque, was considered one of the ideological frontmen of the AUC, a right-wing paramilitary group that was officially formed in 1997 as a private security force to protect private interests against guerrilla attacks or kidnapping attempts. By the time the group demobilized between 2003 and 2006, it had become the main victimizer in Colombia’s armed conflict and was deeply involved in drug trafficking.
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In spite of the seriousness of their crimes, paramilitaries that demobilized after a peace agreement with the administration of former President Alvaro Uribe were allowed a maximum penalty of eight years in prison on the condition they collaborated with justice and compensated their victims.
Fourteen of Baez’ fellow paramilitary commanders were extradited to the United States in 2008 as extensive ties between the AUC and Colombia’s political establishment became clear. The extradition was rejected by the Supreme Court and the Prosecutor General, and fiercely opposed by victims who demanded the paramilitary chiefs to respond to Colombian human rights violation charges rather than US drug trafficking charges.
http://colombiareports.com/former-ideological-chief-of-paramilitary-auc-released-after-reduced-sentence/