Colombian drug trafficking capos “Los Comba” offered a retired police colonel over $250,000 to implicate Colombian President Alvaro Uribe’s brother Santiago Uribe in dealings with Antioquian paramilitaries, claims police commissioner Oscar Naranjo.
Naranjo told W Radio that retired Colonel Pedro Manuel Benavides alleges that in April 2008 retired Major Juan Carlos Meneses bought him a plane ticket to Bogota, where the colonel met with Los Comba, who offered him cash to sully the Uribes’ name.
Meneses alleged Sunday that Santiago Uribe led a paramilitary death squad in the early 1990s.
Colombian Defense Minister Gabriel Silva said that Meneses was fired from the police force for lack of discipline, indications of corruption and alleged ties to paramilitaries.
Naranjo confirmed that Meneses had been investigated for “irregularities” and was one of the people “who wants to do harm to the institution.”
The police commander said that Benavides will have to explain why he didn’t come forward earlier over the alleged bribery offer.
Human rights advocates Monday pressured Colombia to investigate the allegations against Santiago Uribe, and warned that the charges may be brought internationally if Colombia fails to act.
