Colombia’s prosecutor general offered security guarantees to a former peace commissioner charged with faking a FARC demobilization, so that he may to return to the country and continue the investigation.
Luis Carlos Restrepo Ramirez, thought to be hiding in the United States, refused to come back to Colombia without the government’s assurances for his safety after fleeing the country in January, days ahead of a scheduled hearing regarding his role in the 2006 demobilization of a non-existent FARC front.
“I called ex-commissioner Restrepo so that he would return to the country, appear before the court and personally give explanations. We are offering him all constitutional guarantees so that he is able to exercise his right to security,” said prosecutor Eduardo Montealegre.
The offer comes after former President Alvaro Uribe revealed via Twitter Thrusday that he received a phone call from Restrepo the previous night in which the former official complained his family was receiving “receive pressure from members of the justice system, which has forced them to seek international protection.”
Restrepo, who served as the high commissioner for peace between 2002 and 2006, allegedly paid homeless men to dress and act like guerrilla soldiers during the demobilization process.
An international arrest warrant was issued for Restrepo on two occasions, although it was revoked in both instances for a lack of evidence.
