A top advisor of Colombia’s former President Alvaro Uribe is presumed to be hiding in the United States.
According to Caracol Radio, Luis Carlos Restrepo left Colombia in January of this year and has officially not been seen or heard from since. Reports say he has not left the United States since his arrival.
Restrepo left Colombia just days before he was to be questioned by the anti-corruption unit of the district attorney’s office. He is being investigated for his role in the false demobilization of the non-existent FARC front ‘Gaicica Gaitana’ during his time as high commissioner for peace under Uribe.
The ‘Cacica Gaitana’ Front gained fame in 2011 when it became clear that the front was mainly composed of homeless people who had no previous links to the FARC, but were paid to act like guerillas in order to inflate demobilization statistics. Critics accused the government of doing so for propaganda purposes.
Restrepo is alleged to be one of the organizers behind the false demobilization. He was also involved in the demobilization of the paramilitary umbrella organization United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia, or AUC.
At the end of May, a Colombian judge re-revoked the international capture order for Restrepo, citing lack of evidence for his role in the scandal.
Caracol quoted sources close to Restrepo who said it was possible that he moved between different places. Restrepo’s lawyer Milred Hartman claimed that Restropo’s exact location could not disclosed due to “security reasons.”