Via the BBC: Colombia warlord loses benefits
The authorities said they had evidence that Carlos Jimenez, also known as Macaco, was continuing to smuggle drugs and run a criminal empire from prison.
He has been transferred to Colombia’s most secure prison, Combita, and will be tried as an ordinary criminal.
Jimenez could also be extradited to the US although no request has been made.
The move means Jimenez loses the benefits given to demobilised paramilitaries, including shorter sentences.
The idea that Jimenez could have been continuing criminal activities in prison is hardly a surprise. Indeed, for anyone familiar with Colombia’s track record on curtailing criminal activity by high profile prisoners, this news will likely elicit nothing more than a yawn.
The interesting part is that Jimenez’s actions are in violation of the demobilization agreement between the government at the paramilitary group known at the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC). The real question now will be if the Colombia justice system actually succeeds in treating Jimenez like a common criminal, and it will be quite interesting to see if the US seeks his extradition. From there the real question will be if this will dissuade other imprisoned AUC commanders from continuing their criminal activities.
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[…] Remember the AUC member who was stripped of his cease-fire privileges that I mentioned the other day? Well, the US has requested his extradition (via the BBC: US seeks Colombian paramilitary): Colombia said Jimenez violated a peace agreement by continuing to organise cocaine shipments and run a criminal empire from prison. Jimenez is wanted in the US on drug trafficking charges […] He is the first jailed warlord to lose benefits agreed under a 2024 peace deal which led paramilitary leaders to surrender and demobilise 31,000 of their men in exchange for reduced jail terms and extradition protection. […]
Pingback by PoliBlog ™: A Rough Draft of my Thoughts » US Seeks Extradition of AUC Commander — Tuesday, August 28, 2024 @ 6:35 am
[…] Remember the AUC member who was stripped of his cease-fire privileges that I mentioned the other day? Well, the US has requested his extradition (via the BBC: US seeks Colombian paramilitary): Colombia said Jimenez violated a peace agreement by continuing to organise cocaine shipments and run a criminal empire from prison. Jimenez is wanted in the US on drug trafficking charges […] He is the first jailed warlord to lose benefits agreed under a 2024 peace deal which led paramilitary leaders to surrender and demobilise 31,000 of their men in exchange for reduced jail terms and extradition protection. […]
Pingback by Colombia: A PoliBlog Sideblog » US Seeks Extradition of AUC Commander — Tuesday, August 28, 2024 @ 6:36 am