Investigation to open against Colombia's ambassador to Peru for 'parapolitics'

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Colombia Reports

Investigation to open against Colombia's ambassador to Peru for 'parapolitics'
Monday, 18 April 2011 15:47
Ben Hockman

The Prosecutor General's Office is to investigate Jorge Visbal Martelo, Colombia's ambassador to Peru, for his alleged ties to paramilitary groups, El Espectador newspaper reported Monday.

The investigation is to be launched following the testimony of demobilized paramilitary John Jairo Sanchez, alias "Centella," who claimed that Visbal was involved in a 2004 meeting with paramilitaries in which he attempted to enlist their support for the re-election of then President Alvaro Uribe to his second term in office.

According to Centella, Visbal, who was a senator at the time, organized a meeting with now extradited paramilitary commander Rodrigo Tovar Pupo, alias "Jorge 40," in an attempt to secure the support of the AUC's Northern Bloc for Uribe's re-election.

~snip~
El Espectador also reports that statements made by another demobilized paramilitary, Rodolfo Useda Castaño, alias "Julio Castano," allege a number of other similar meetings took place in the southwest department of Nariño, in which politicians sought political collaboration from paramilitary groups.

Read more: http://colombiareports.com/colombia-news/news/15679-investigation-to-open-against-colombias-ambassador-to-peru-for-parapolitics.html