A U.S. court has called a close aide of former President Alvaro Uribe to testify in a unionist murder trial against U.S. coal company Drummond, reported Colombian newscast Noticias Uno Sunday.
Former adviser to Colombia’s ex-president Alvaro Uribe, Fabio Echeverri, was subpoenaed last year by families of murdered Colombian unionists. The court has now called Echeverri to testify on his links to Drummond and the relationship between the company and the AUC paramilitary group.
Several former paramilitaries have testified that Drummond paid their organizations to assassinate unionists who were organizing Colombian coal workers employed by Drummond and their affiliate company Prodeco.
In calling Echeverri to the stand the court seeks determine Echeverri’s relationship to Drummond and investigate the relationship between Drummond and the AUC.
Drummond lawyers said the company paid paramilitary groups to protect company infrastructure from attacks by left-wing guerrilla groups and denied involvement in the unionist murders.
Earlier this month some 600 relatives of families appealed the US court decision shielding Uribe from testifying in the case.