The call was made after Colombian President Álvaro Uribe Friday signed a decree approving the extradition of ‘Macaco’ to the United States to face charges of illicit drug trafficking and money laundering.The victims families’ lawyer Alirio Uribe explained that if ‘Macaco’ is extradited, his “more serious” crimes will go unpunished.Set up by rich landlords in the 1980s, the paramilitaries were initially a response to rebels in areas with a weak state presence. But they later become drug gangs who took over land and massacred peasants.’Macaco’ was the former regional chief of Colombia’s United Self-Defense (AUC), a right wing armed group which completed its demobilization in July 2006.The government pledged to massively reduce sentences for AUC leaders in return for their telling the truth about alleged crimes, including hundreds of murders.
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