Extradited paramilitary leader Salvatore Mancuso said the AUC received
logistic support from Colombia’s security forces to commit two
massacres in the Antioquia department in the late 1990’s.
Mancuso, appearing before Colombia’s Supreme Court through a video connection, said his predecessor Carlos Castaño received the support from a “general Ospina”, then commander of the Army’s Fourth Brigade.
The support would have consisted of the delivery of ammunition and the transport of casualties during the massacre of El Aro and La Granja.
Mancuso denied current President Álvaro Uribe was involved in the massacres as was testified by a lower ranked paramilitary. Uribe in that time was Governor of Antioquia.
The AUC head did say he met with Uribe’s secretary at least ten times to talk about the creation of Convivir in Uribe’s department. Convivir was the merge of numerous local paramilitary groups to help the security forces. Uribe has always openly supported and promoted Convivir.
The Convivir never took part in the demobilization process of the AUC and are still active in cities like Medellín.
The hearings of Mancuso will continue next Tuesday.
