A Bogota court extended the international arrest warrant for the former director of the now-defunct Colombian intelligence agency DAS.
Judge Fabio Fernandez extended by one year the arrest warrant of Maria del Pilar Hurtado. “It is necessary to extend the judgement beyond November 26 of this year,” argued Fernandez.
Del Pilar Hurtado allegedly facilitated the unauthorized wiretapping of Supreme Court judges, political opponents, human rights activists and journalists while she led DAS. She is one of several former high-ranking officials accused of harassing critics of ex-president Alvaro Uribe (2002-2010).
Uribe has previously spoken out in defense of Del Pilar Hurtado, labeling her the victim of political persecution. The former head of state has always denied knowing about the illegal wiretapping.
Del Pilar Hurtado fled Colombia in late 2010 and was eventually granted asylum by Panamanian authorities. In early February 2012, Panama denied Colombia’s request for Pilar to be extradited.
