Thirteen local politicians in Uraba, northern Colombia, are charged with having had ties to the Elmer Cardenas bloc of demobilized paramilitary organization the AUC, newspaper El Espectador reported Monday.
The demobilized leader of the Elmer Cardenas bloc of the United Self Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC), Freddy Rendon Herrera, alias “El Aleman,” testified that the 13 local officials received political support from his organization in the gulf region of Uraba, Antioquia in 2002 and 2006.
The politicians, charged with conspiracy, held office in the municipalities of Canaletes, Los Cordobas, Puerto Escondido, Arboletes, San Juan de Uraba, Necocli, and San Pedro de Uraba.
At least 37 Colombian lawmakers have jailed for dealings with paramilitaries, in what is known as the “parapolitics” scandal.
