A Colombian judge upholds the decision to bury the remains of FARC military leader “Mono Jojoy” in a cemetery in Bogota, not in his hometown of Cabrera as requested by the guerrilla’s family, Caracol Radio reported Tuesday.
The court ruled that transferring the body of Victor Julio Suarez, alias “Mono Jojoy,” to Cabrera could disturb public order and cause a security threat in the area.
The court took the decision based on police and military intelligence which suggested that transferring the remains could lead to an attack on the community by guerrillas.
“We are not able to then put under threat and danger the population of Cabrera … Mr. Anibal Peralta will be able to reclaim the remains of his relative Victor Julio Suarez and his condition is he should be buried in a cemetery located in Bogota,” said the judge.
The cadaver of the former military leader of the FARC has been held in Bogota since his death in September 2010.
The guerrilla leader was killed in the Meta department when his encampment was bombed by the Colombian military.
What to do with the remains of Mono Jojoy has been debated since his death. In December a judge denied the request by the Suarez family to return Mono Jojoy’s remains to his hometown of Cabrera 50 miles southeast of the capital, saying that it would pose a threat to public order.