Oil company Emerald Energy has denied paying a $2 million ransom to FARC guerillas in reponse to a claim by ex-president Alvaro Uribe, reported local media Friday.
Juan Manuel Cuellar, CEO of Emerald Energy says that the company made no payments to the FARC for the release of their kidnapped employees, reports Caracol Radio.
Former president Uribe claimed Thursday on Twitter that $2 million had been paid to the FARC for the release of four employees of a contractor to Emerald Energy. The tweet did not specify who had paid the alleged ransom.
Urgente: hay recibos, pruebas, que la FARC cobró 2 millones de dólares por la liberación de los secuestrados chinos
— Álvaro Uribe Vélez (@AlvaroUribeVel) December 14, 2012
In response Cuellar said. “We have not paid a peso, we have not been in negotiation with groups outside the law and we are willing to help with all inquiries. Emerald Energy always act in accordance with the law.”
Colombia president Juan Manuel Santos has said that he will expel from Colombia any companies that make payments to illegal armed groups.