A Colombian judge warranted the arrest of the country’s former peace commissioner Thursday after judicial authorities found out the Uribe associate had left the country despite a pending investigation into his alleged role in the fake demobilization of a non-existent FARC front.
Restrepo was the key member of the Uribe government during the controversial peace process with paramilitary organization AUC and is suspected of having coordinated the fake demobilization of the “Cacica Gaitana” front.
Judicial authorities had petitioned the arrest warrant after Colombia’s migration office warned the Foreign Ministry that Restrepo had left the country despite the ongoing criminal investigation against him.
“The information we have from Migration is that he had left the country, but do not know where he is,” Foreign Minister Maria Angela Holguin told press.
According to newspaper El Tiempo, Restrepo took a flight to New York.
Before leaving the country against judicial orders, the former peace commissioner had failed to appear before authorities five times.
The former peace commissioner is one of the closest aides of former President Alvaro Uribe, who has already seen his former agriculture minister and chief of staff put behind bars over an embezzlement scandal and the illegal wiretapping of government opponents, respectively.
Uribe’s former spy chief, also charged for her role in the wiretap scandal, fled to Panama before charges were brought against her.
Retrepo is being investigated not only for his alleged role in the false demobilization of the “Cacica Gaitana” FARC front, but also for allegedly fraudulently helped drug trafficker “El Tuso” receive legal benefits for surrendering to authorities, and plotting with demobilized paramilitary organization AUC in inflating numbers of demobilized paramilitary fighters.
Restrepo has always insisted he was innocent and has been supported by Uribe, who says he and his allies are the victim of “criminal vengeance” and “political persecution.”
