50 years for paras who do not collaborate: US ambassador

Extradited paramilitary leaders who do not collaborate with Colombian
justice will receive sentences of up to 50 years, United States
ambassador William Brownfield said Thursday.

The ambassador warned the 15 paramilitary bosses who are currently in U.S. custody to bear in mind that their collaboration with the justice and peace trials in their homeland will affect sentencing in the U.S.

“At the moment of sentence recommendations (…) hypothetically speaking a paramilitary that has not collaborated with mentioned processes could receive a sentence of in between 40 to 50 years,” Brownfield said.

If the former leaders of the AUC do collaborate, they can expect to be treated “more leniently.