Colombia Extradites Rebel Leader ‘Trinidad’ to U.S.
The most important rebel commander ever captured by Colombia was sent to the United States on Friday to face cocaine smuggling and kidnapping charges.Colombia’s president authorized the extradition of Ricardo Palmera, alias “Simon Trinidad,” after the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, known by the Spanish initials FARC, failed to comply with an ultimatum to free 63 hostages including three Americans.
A federal court in Washington wants Palmera for trafficking 11 pounds or more of cocaine and involvement in kidnapping the FARC’s American hostages.
Palmera, arrested in neighboring Ecuador in January, was handed to U.S. officials at a Bogota military airport and put on a U.S.-bound plane
This will, no doubt, infuriate the FARC leadership. It is also a demonstration of the continued unprecedented level of cooperation between Colombia and the United States.
President Uribe is, without a doubt, the most pro-US president Colombia has ever had. It is remarkable that his popularity remains as high as it has given that fact. OTOH, his high popularity allows him to do things like this.
