Colombia

President's cousin fails to escape death-squad charges

Article published on the 2008-04-23 Latest update 2008-04-23 14:56 TU

Mario Uribe
Photo: Reuters

Mario Uribe, a cousin and political ally of Colombian President Alvaro Uribe has been taken to a holding facility at the Attorney General's office, after Costa Rica refused to grant him political asylum. This after prosecutors issued a warrant for his arrest on charges that he had links to right-wing death squads.

After waiting nine hours at the Costa Rican embassy, Mario Uribe was told that granting his request would "defile" the tradition of political asylum.

Uribe was president of the Senate until October 2007, when a Supreme Court investigation into ties between politicians and paramilitaries uncovered evidence that he had met members of the United Self-Defence Forces of Colombia (AUC) in connection with land purchases.  

President Uribe said that he is in "pain" over his cousin's arrest but added: "I assume the pain with patriotism".

Paramilitary chief  Salvatore Mancuso told RCN television today that 50 per cent of Colombian MPs have links to armed groups of the left or right and that one third of them are connected to the AUC.

62 politicians are under investigation for such links, while 31 former or current legislators have already been jailed.

British-based Latin America analyst Colin Harding says that the investigation is getting close to the president.

The paramilitaries are far right-wing groups formed to protect Colombian land-owners from left-wing guerrillas and are reported to assassinate human rights workers and peasant and labour activists.