The Colombian government will request the extradition of the former director of the national intelligence agency DAS, Maria del Pilar Hurtado, from Panama, following illegal wiretapping charges made by the Prosecutor General’s Office.
In relation to the extradition, Interior and Justice Minister German Vargas Lleras said that the government is obligated to comply with the prosecutor general’s decisions, according to a ministry press statement.
“The obligation of the government is to proceed to deal with a decision that has been taken by the Prosecutor General’s Office, I don’t make declarations about the decisions of President Ricardo Martinelli, but we are obligated to comply also with the law,” said Vargas Lleras.
On Wednesday, Prosecutor General Viviane Morales charged Del Pilar Hurtado with ordering the illegal wiretapping of political opponents, supreme court judges, journalists and human rights workers. The former DAS director was also charged with conspiracy, the illegal interception of communication, abuse of public power and fraud.
Following the decision, Prosecutor General Viviane Morales requested the immediate detention of the former DAS head, who currently has political asylum in Panama after fleeing Colombia last year.
Former President Alvaro Uribe’s chief of staff, Bernardo Moreno, was also charged Wednesday in the scandal, which took place under the Uribe administration.